Marin County · CA
Can you keep backyard chickens in Tiburon, CA?
Yes, with a permit. Tiburon requires an administrative chicken-keeping permit, reviewed by the Director of Community Development and re-checked every two years, under its adopted Standards for the Keeping of Chickens (Town Code 16-40.070; Ordinance 542 N.S.). Those standards allow up to eight hens on lots larger than 10,000 square feet and bar on-site slaughter. On the peninsula's view lots the practical limits are wind and the resident deer as much as the rule.
Tiburon, CA · at a glance
- Hens allowed
- Up to 8 hens on lots over 10,000 sq ft (per the adopted Standards for the Keeping of Chickens)
- Roosters
- Confirm with the town; not addressed in the keeping standards we reviewed
- Setback
- Set by the adopted Standards for the Keeping of Chickens; confirm for your lot
- Permit
- Required: administrative permit via Community Development, reviewed every 2 years (Town Code 16-40.070)
- HOA
- Check your CC&Rs
Confirmed against Tiburon's municipal code. Your personalized report applies it to your exact parcel. Sources: townoftiburon.org · Tiburon Town Code 16-40.070 (Ordinance 542 N.S.) · sananselmo-ca.granicus.com
Tiburon is a narrow peninsula with water on three sides and big views up the hills, which means wind, sun and deer are constant companions. A henhouse here has to stand up to bay weather and sit comfortably on a view lot. We design for both.
Setbacks and placement
On Tiburon's hillside view lots we level a pad and anchor the henhouse against the wind, tucking it where a fence, hedge or grade break cuts the bay breeze. We keep the run fully covered, because the open peninsula sky means hawks are the daytime threat to watch. Deer won't touch the flock but will browse everything around it, so we plan the surroundings accordingly.
Neighbors
Tiburon's view-conscious lots make a good-looking henhouse part of the deal. The permit gets reviewed every two years and a written complaint with real evidence can trigger a hearing, so a tidy, rooster-free flock kept to the standards is what keeps everything smooth.
Climate
Tiburon catches sun and wind in equal measure. Exposed peninsula lots get real bay wind, while the summers stay mild and mostly fog-free compared with the outer coast. The henhouse needs solid anchoring and a wind-sheltered, sunny-but-shaded spot, with the usual Marin attention to winter drainage.
Predators in Tiburon
The local predators worth planning for are Hawks, Raccoons, Coyotes, Skunks. 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
- Apply for the Tiburon chicken-keeping permit through Community Development (reviewed every 2 years)
- Confirm your lot is over 10,000 sq ft for up to 8 hens, or ask about smaller lots
- Read your CC&Rs, common on Tiburon view properties
- Pick a wind-sheltered, well-drained spot and plan to anchor the henhouse
- Keep the run covered against hawks and plan for resident deer nearby
- Choose a small flock and keep to the town's standards
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.