Marin County · CA
Can you keep backyard chickens in Ross, CA?
Yes, and Ross doesn't cap the number of hens. What Ross regulates is placement and noise: it's unlawful to keep poultry within 50 feet of any residence other than your own, or within 50 feet of a street or other public place (Ross Municipal Code 8.16.090), and a crowing rooster or any fowl whose noise disturbs the neighbors is treated as a nuisance (9.20.050). On Ross's large, leafy lots that 50-foot rule is the real planning constraint, not a head count.
Ross, CA · at a glance
- Hens allowed
- No set limit on the number of hens
- Roosters
- Not banned outright, but a crowing rooster that disturbs neighbors is a nuisance violation (9.20.050)
- Setback
- Not within 50 ft of any residence other than your own, or of a street or public place (8.16.090)
- Permit
- No specific permit; the placement and noise rules govern
- HOA
- Check your CC&Rs
Confirmed against Ross's municipal code. Your personalized report applies it to your exact parcel. Sources: sananselmo-ca.granicus.com · Ross Municipal Code 8.16.090 and 9.20.050
Keeping hens in Ross is a calm, rewarding part of a leafy life under the oaks. Modern Hen designs, builds and tends henhouses here, so you get the fresh eggs and the quiet company without the daily upkeep.
Setbacks and placement
The 50-foot rule shapes everything in Ross: the henhouse has to sit at least 50 feet from any neighbor's residence and from the street, which on a smaller Ross lot can leave only one workable spot. Ross lots often slope too, so we level a well-drained pad, catch morning sun and afternoon oak shade and keep winter water moving away from the structure.
Neighbors
Ross handles fowl through placement and noise rules, so the whole game is the 50-foot setback and keeping things quiet: skip the crowing rooster, tend the flock well and a friendly word with the neighbors covers the rest.
Climate
Ross has a mild Marin climate with wet, cool winters and warm, dry summers softened by coastal fog and deep oak canopy shade. Good drainage and a dry, draft-free henhouse matter most in the rainy months, while the summer shade keeps hens comfortable through the heat.
Predators in Ross
The local predators worth planning for are Coyotes, Hawks, Raccoons, Bobcats. Every Modern Hen install is built to handle them: half-inch hardware cloth on every opening, a buried apron, a hardware-cloth ceiling and two-step latches a raccoon can't open.
A quick-start checklist
- Map the 50-foot setback from neighbors' homes and the street before choosing a spot (8.16.090)
- Check your CC&Rs and any HOA terms
- Level a well-drained, shaded pad in the one spot that clears the setback
- Skip the crowing rooster to stay clear of the noise nuisance rule (9.20.050)
- Predator-proof for coyotes, raccoons, hawks and bobcats
- Choose your hens and a tending plan, or let Modern Hen handle it
Want the exact rules for your address?
We'll read your municipal code and send a plain-language report on what's allowed at your parcel. One email, no follow-ups.