Keeping hens · National rules

Can you keep backyard chickens in Spain?

Registration: conditions apply, for the keepers covered below. The national keeping rule, and the bird-flu and welfare rules, follow.

Read from 4 official sources23 passages quotedChecked October 25, 2026

At a glance

Registering your flock

Conditions apply

National keeping rule

Rule with conditions

Bird-flu housing orders

Status needs rechecking

Welfare rules

Rule with conditions

A sourced reading of national law in Spain, not legal advice. Local ordinances and zoning, HOA rules, and any local rooster or coop limits aren't covered here yet: check your local code before you get hens.

Keeping your flock

These findings cover the national or state scope stated below. They do not determine whether chickens are allowed at a particular home. City zoning, property restrictions and other local rules are outside this research.

Registering as a poultry keeper

Conditions apply to this finding

Jurisdiction: Spain

Applies to: Holders of self-consumption poultry holdings, which have at most 0.15 livestock units (UGM) of poultry and never market their animals, meat or eggs (RD 637/2021, art. 2(1)(h)).

Outside this finding's scope

  • Poultry not intended for human consumption and kept for personal, non-commercial purposes are outside the poultry decree (art. 1(8)(c)).

What the checked sources say

  • Holders of self-consumption holdings must make a prior communication so the holding is entered in the general register of livestock holdings (art. 16(5)).
  • The autonomous communities keep the poultry holdings register for their territory (art. 16(2)); a holding that sells eggs is no longer a self-consumption holding (art. 2(1)(h)).
  • Annex I counts a laying hen as 0.005 UGM, or 200 laying hens per UGM.
  • Under EU Regulation 2016/429, poultry kept to produce eggs for consumption count as poultry, and operators of establishments keeping them notify the authority for registration. A Spanish use of the optional EU exemption for low-risk establishments was not found in the texts read (RD 637/2021, art. 1, art. 2 and art. 16).
  • A fee was not found in the texts read (RD 637/2021, art. 16 and art. 18).

Thresholds

  • Self-consumption holdings: at most 0.15 UGM of poultry (art. 2(1)(h)).

Authority: Your autonomous community's livestock register

Fee: Not established from the sources checked.

The official wording

  • h) Explotación para autoconsumo: la explotación que tenga como máximo 0,15 Unidades de Ganado Mayor (UGMs) de aves de corral de capacidad máxima, calculadas según la tabla de equivalencias del anexo I y que, en ningún caso, comercialice los animales, ni su carne, ni los huevos, ni otras producciones, siendo consideradas en caso de comercializarlos como explotaciones reducidas.

    RD 637/2021, art. 2(1)(h), first sentence · Checked

  • 5. Los titulares de las explotaciones de autoconsumo, tal y como se definen en el artículo 2.h), estarán obligadas a efectuar una comunicación previa para que se incluyan en el Registro general de explotaciones ganaderas.

    RD 637/2021, art. 16(5) · Checked

  • 8. Se exceptúan del ámbito de aplicación de este real decreto:

    RD 637/2021, art. 1(8), opening words · Checked

  • c) Los núcleos zoológicos con aves de corral según se definen en el artículo 2.l) y la tenencia de estos animales cuando no estén destinados al consumo humano y que se mantengan con fines personales no comerciales.

    RD 637/2021, art. 1(8)(c) · Checked

  • 2. Las comunidades autónomas inscribirán en un registro las explotaciones avícolas que se ubiquen en su ámbito territorial

    RD 637/2021, art. 16(2), opening words · Checked

  • GALLINAS PONEDORAS. | UGM: 0,005 | N.º animales/UGM: 200

    RD 637/2021, Anexo I, table of UGM equivalences, laying hens row · Checked

  • Última actualización publicada el 23/04/2025

    BOE consolidated text of RD 637/2021, version selector · Checked

Bird-flu housing orders

Current status needs rechecking

An official current-status link has not been established.

Orders can change between checks. A missed check or an expired order does not establish that no order applies.

Housing-order finding as checked on 2026-10-25

The scope and conditions below are a dated record, not confirmation of today's position.

Rule identified for the scope below

Uses housing orders in this scope: Yes, according to the checked evidence.

Jurisdiction: Spain

Applies to: Poultry in the municipalities listed in Annex II of Orden APA/2442/2006, and in special surveillance zones where the competent authority extends the measures.

What the checked sources say

  • In the Annex II municipalities, rearing poultry outdoors is prohibited (Orden APA/2442/2006, art. 5(1)(c)).
  • Where that is not possible, the competent authority may authorise outdoor keeping, with bird netting or another device that keeps wild birds out where this is possible, and always provided the birds are fed and watered indoors or in a shelter that keeps wild birds away from their feed and water (art. 5(1)(c)).
  • In special surveillance zones, the competent authority may also apply the art. 5(1) measures on an updated risk assessment (art. 4(3)).
  • The autonomous communities and Ceuta and Melilla may set stricter measures based on their own risk analysis (art. 1(3)).
  • The BOE consolidated text was last updated on 7 April 2025. This page does not say whether any order applies now; check the BOE and your autonomous community.
Checked
Recheck due

Historical evidence, as checked

These quotations record what was checked on the dates shown. They do not confirm an order's current status.

  • 1. En los municipios incluidos en el anexo II, se aplicarán las siguientes prohibiciones y obligaciones:

    Orden APA/2442/2006, art. 5(1), opening words · Checked

  • c) Queda prohibida la cría de aves de corral al aire libre.

    Orden APA/2442/2006, art. 5(1)(c), first sentence · Checked

  • No obstante, cuando esto no sea posible, la autoridad competente podrá autorizar el mantenimiento de aves de corral al aire libre, mediante la colocación, si ello fuera posible, de telas pajareras o cualquier otro dispositivo que impida la entrada de aves silvestres,

    Orden APA/2442/2006, art. 5(1)(c), second sentence, opening words · Checked

  • 3. No obstante lo establecido en apartado anterior, la autoridad competente podrá determinar adoptar adicionalmente las medidas específicas previstas en el artículo 5.1, con base en una evaluación del riesgo actualizada de introducción y circulación del virus de la influenza aviar en las zonas de especial vigilancia.

    Orden APA/2442/2006, art. 4(3) · Checked

  • 3. Las disposiciones de esta orden se entenderán sin perjuicio de medidas más restrictivas que puedan establecerse por las autoridades competentes de las comunidades autónomas o ciudades de Ceuta y Melilla, con base en un análisis del riesgo llevado a cabo por las citadas autoridades competentes en sus respectivos territorios.

    Orden APA/2442/2006, art. 1(3) · Checked

  • Última actualización publicada el 07/04/2025

    BOE consolidated text of Orden APA/2442/2006, version selector · Checked

  • y siempre que se alimente y abreve a las aves en el interior de las instalaciones o en un refugio que impida la llegada de aves silvestres y evite el contacto de éstas con los alimentos o el agua destinados a las aves de corral.

    Orden APA/2442/2006, art. 5(1)(c), second sentence, closing words · Checked

Small-flock welfare minimums

Conditions apply to this finding

Jurisdiction: Spain

Applies to: Owners and breeders of animals kept on livestock holdings to produce food or for other farming purposes (RD 348/2000, arts 2 and 3).

What the checked sources say

  • Take adequate measures to ensure your animals' welfare so they do not suffer unnecessary pain, suffering or harm (RD 348/2000, art. 3(a)).
  • The poultry holdings decree applies without prejudice to RD 348/2000 (RD 637/2021, art. 7(1)).
  • The BOE consolidated text of RD 348/2000 was last updated on 6 February 2026.

The official wording

  • Los propietarios y criadores de animales en las explotaciones ganaderas tendrán las siguientes obligaciones: a) Adoptar las medidas adecuadas para asegurar el bienestar de los animales con vistas a garantizar que éstos no padezcan dolores, sufrimientos ni daños inútiles.

    RD 348/2000, art. 3(a) · Checked

  • 1) Animal: todo animal (incluidos los peces, los reptiles y los anfibios) criado o mantenido para la producción de alimentos, lana, cuero, pieles o con otros fines agrícolas.

    RD 348/2000, art. 2(1) · Checked

  • 1. Lo dispuesto en este real decreto se entenderá sin perjuicio de la aplicación del Real Decreto 348/2000, de 10 de marzo ,

    RD 637/2021, art. 7(1), opening words · Checked

  • Última actualización publicada el 06/02/2026

    BOE consolidated text of RD 348/2000, version selector · Checked

National or state rules on keeping poultry

Conditions apply to this finding

Jurisdiction: Spain

Applies to: Keeping hens at home for your own eggs.

What the checked sources say

  • A holding with at most 0.15 UGM of poultry whose animals, meat and eggs are never sold is a self-consumption holding, and its holder must make a prior communication so it is entered in the livestock register (RD 637/2021, art. 2(1)(h) and art. 16(5)).
  • Municipalities have their own powers in urban planning and in protecting public health, within State and regional law (Ley 7/1985, art. 25(2)(a) and (j)); ask your town hall (ayuntamiento) about local rules.
  • Municipal ordinances on keeping hens were not read.

The official wording

  • h) Explotación para autoconsumo: la explotación que tenga como máximo 0,15 Unidades de Ganado Mayor (UGMs) de aves de corral de capacidad máxima, calculadas según la tabla de equivalencias del anexo I y que, en ningún caso, comercialice los animales, ni su carne, ni los huevos, ni otras producciones, siendo consideradas en caso de comercializarlos como explotaciones reducidas.

    RD 637/2021, art. 2(1)(h), first sentence · Checked

  • 5. Los titulares de las explotaciones de autoconsumo, tal y como se definen en el artículo 2.h), estarán obligadas a efectuar una comunicación previa para que se incluyan en el Registro general de explotaciones ganaderas.

    RD 637/2021, art. 16(5) · Checked

  • 2. El Municipio ejercerá en todo caso como competencias propias, en los términos de la legislación del Estado y de las Comunidades Autónomas, en las siguientes materias:

    Ley 7/1985, art. 25(2), opening words · Checked

  • a) Urbanismo: planeamiento, gestión, ejecución y disciplina urbanística.

    Ley 7/1985, art. 25(2)(a), first sentence · Checked

  • j) Protección de la salubridad pública.

    Ley 7/1985, art. 25(2)(j) · Checked

Selling eggs in Spain? →License, small-flock line, markets and cartons, on their own page.Selling: License or permit

More countries we've checked

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Common questions

Do I have to register backyard chickens in Spain?
Registration: conditions apply. The finding covers: Holders of self-consumption poultry holdings, which have at most 0.15 livestock units (UGM) of poultry and never market their animals, meat or eggs (RD 637/2021, art. 2(1)(h)). Self-consumption holdings: at most 0.15 UGM of poultry (art. 2(1)(h)). Outside this finding's scope: Poultry not intended for human consumption and kept for personal, non-commercial purposes are outside the poultry decree (art. 1(8)(c)). Authority: Your autonomous community's livestock register.
Can I keep chickens in my backyard in Spain?
The national sources we read don't settle it, and we haven't identified who decides. Check your local rules before you get hens.
Do I have to keep my hens indoors for bird flu in Spain?
Housing orders come and go, so we never show one as current. We haven't confirmed an official current-status page for it.

Allowed where you live? Then keep the records.

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