Rules for keeping birds and poultry

Rules for poultry

Keeping poultry in rural areas

You do not need a licence if you want to keep animals in a rural area.

There are no Auckland-wide restrictions on the number of chickens, poultry or other animals you can keep in rural areas and any property over 4000 square metres (one acre). But some legacy district plans have restrictions on the type and number of stock or poultry that you can keep on a rural property.

Contact us to check if your property has any restrictions.

To check if you are living in a rural zone, visit Unitary Plan Maps and type your address into the search.

Restrictions on the type and number of poultry

Some legacy district plans have restrictions on the type and number poultry that you can keep on a rural property.

Contact us to check if your property has any restrictions.

Keeping poultry in urban areas

You may need to apply for an animal licence if you want to keep a large number of poultry in an urban area.

Number of poultry you can keep without a licence in an urban area

This table shows the number of poultry you can keep without a licence, as long as it does not cause nuisance issues for your neighbours:

How to keep birds and poultry responsibly

Under the Animal Management Bylaw 2015, you must meet certain requirements for keeping birds and poultry.

Provide shelter

Chickens should have access to an area of land greater than three square metres and include:

• an enclosed rainproof chicken coop for sleeping and laying eggs
• at least 30cm of roost or perch per chicken
• a minimum roof height of 60cm
• a surface for pecking and scratching
• a secluded nesting area.

Where to place your chicken coop

Set up the coop in a place that is least likely to cause a nuisance to neighbours.

Ensure that chickens are confined and that they cannot freely leave the property.

Keep chicken coops clean

To keep your chicken coop clean, you should:

• line nesting boxes and chicken coop floors with hay, wood chips (untreated), sawdust or shredded newspaper to make keeping the coop clean easier
• regularly bag and remove waste (at least once a week).

Prevent infestations of vermin

Excess food and bedding waste can attract flies, mice and rats to a property.

Once vermin find an accessible food supply, they will continue to return, leaving excrement that can:

• contaminate chicken feed and water
• expose owners and neighbours to diseases.

Make sure you regularly dispose of waste.

Feeding tip 

Rather than scattering food across the ground, use a vermin-proof container specifically for poultry feeding. This will also keep out the rain and give poultry good access to dry pellets or grain.

Rules for birds

There are no restrictions for keeping pigeons or other bird aviaries on private property but there are still requirements you must meet.

Pigeons

If you are keeping pigeons you must ensure they are not a nuisance to anyone else or causing health and safety issues to the public.

Parrots and other birds

Before you have birds on your property, find out which parrots and other bird species are pests in the Auckland region.

There are restrictions on breeding, distributing, releasing and selling birds that are considered pests. Visit Tiaki Tāmaki Makaurau for more information.

It is illegal to keep protected native birds in captivity without a permit from the Department of Conservation (DOC).