Can you keep backyard chickens in Michigan?
Michigan local governments may regulate land use by zoning (MCL 125.3201), so check yours. The Right to Farm Act covers farms in commercial production; whether a backyard flock counts wasn't established.
Read from 8 official sources29 passages quotedChecked October 24, 2026
At a glance
Registering your flock
Where hens can live
Bird-flu housing orders
Welfare rules
Who decides where hens can live
The state law we read gives a named local body its own powers over where hens can live. What the checked sources say:
- A local unit of government may by zoning ordinance regulate land development and establish districts that regulate the use of land and structures.
No statewide permission or prohibition on keeping chickens is established by this finding. Your local unit of government may regulate land use by zoning ordinance, so check with it. This page names the state law, not its own ordinances, and doesn't cover HOA, rooster or setback rules.
Registration: not established in the state sources we read.
The law's own words are quoted under state rules on keeping poultry below.
How to check: Look up the local rules where you live (the ordinances, bylaws or zoning of the body named here), or ask that office, before you get hens.
A sourced reading of Michigan's state law, 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
Not established from the sources checked
Jurisdiction: Michigan
Applies to: The Michigan Animal Industry Act’s official-identification section (MCL 287.711b).
Outside this finding's scope
- Whether Michigan requires backyard poultry keepers to register was not established. The identification section names other species, not poultry; that does not prove no other registration rule exists.
What the checked sources say
- The section requires official identification for cattle, and for goats, sheep and privately owned cervids, before they leave a premises, and individual official identification tags for sheep and swine shown at exhibitions, expositions or fairs in Michigan.
Authority: Not established from the sources checked.
Fee: Not established from the sources checked.
The official wording
(1) All cattle must bear official identification before they leave a premises,
MCL 287.711b(1), opening · Checked
(2) Subject to subsection (3), all goats, sheep, and privately owned cervids shall bear official identification before they leave a premises.
MCL 287.711b(2) · Checked
(3) Sheep and swine presented for exhibition or exposition or at fairs within this state shall be individually identified with an official identification tag.
MCL 287.711b(3), first sentence · 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 2026-10-24
The scope and conditions below are a dated record, not confirmation of today's position.
Conditions apply to this finding
Uses housing orders in this scope: Yes, according to the checked evidence, within the limits listed under “Outside this finding’s scope” below.
Jurisdiction: Michigan
Applies to: Quarantines the director of the Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development can issue under the Animal Industry Act, which defines livestock to include poultry.
Outside this finding's scope
- The quarantine power does not in terms require birds to be kept indoors, and this finding does not establish that any order applies now.
What the checked sources say
- Under the Act, poultry includes chickens propagated and maintained under human husbandry. The director may quarantine animals, structures, premises or any area of the state, including the entire state if necessary, to control or prevent the spread of a known or suspected infectious disease.
- You may not move animals or other items included in a quarantine, or let quarantined animals mingle or have contact with animals not under quarantine, without the director’s permission.
- The director may prescribe procedures for separating, handling, feeding and caring for quarantined animals and animals in a quarantined area, and procedures required before release from quarantine.
- Current mandatory housing status remains unconfirmed.
- 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.
"Poultry" means, but is not limited to, chickens, guinea fowl, turkeys, waterfowl, pigeons, doves, peafowl, and game birds that are propagated and maintained under the husbandry of humans.
MCL 287.703(iii) · Checked
Livestock includes, but is not limited to, cattle, sheep, new world camelids, old world camelids, goats, bison, privately owned cervids, ratites, swine, equids, poultry, aquaculture species, and rabbits.
MCL 287.703(tt), second sentence · Checked
"Department" means the department of agriculture and rural development.
MCL 287.703(r) · Checked
"Director" means the director of the department or his or her authorized representative.
MCL 287.703(t) · Checked
(1) The director may issue a quarantine on animals, equipment, vehicles, structures, premises, or any area in this state, including the entire state if necessary, for the purpose of controlling or preventing the spread of a known or suspected infectious or toxicological disease.
MCL 287.712(1) · Checked
(2) A person shall not move animals or any other items that are included in the quarantine without permission from the director.
MCL 287.712(2) · Checked
(3) A person shall not allow animals under quarantine to mingle with or have contact with other animals not under quarantine without permission by the director.
MCL 287.712(3) · Checked
(6) The director may prescribe procedures for the identification, inventory, separation, mode of handling, testing, treatment, feeding, and caring for both quarantined animals and animals within a quarantined area to prevent the exposure of nonquarantined or quarantined animals to infectious or toxicological diseases.
MCL 287.712(6) · Checked
(7) The director may prescribe procedures required before any animal, structure, premises, or area or zone in this state, including the entirety of this state if necessary, are released from quarantine.
MCL 287.712(7) · Checked
Small-flock welfare minimums
Conditions apply to this finding
Jurisdiction: Michigan
Applies to: Animals, meaning vertebrates other than humans, in the charge or custody of an owner, possessor or other covered person under MCL 750.50.
Outside this finding's scope
- The section does not prohibit the lawful killing or other use of an animal, including farming or a generally accepted animal husbandry or farming practice involving livestock (which includes poultry), and specified scientific research.
- The sanitary-conditions definition does not include conditions resulting from customary and reasonable farming or animal husbandry practice.
- This finding is not a complete welfare code and sets no numerical space standard or property permission. The Animal Industry Act section on tethering or confinement of farm animals and egg-laying hens (MCL 287.746) was not checked.
What the checked sources say
- If you own, possess or have charge or custody of an animal, you must not fail to provide adequate care: sufficient food, water, shelter, sanitary conditions, exercise and veterinary medical attention to maintain it in a state of good health.
- Shelter means adequate protection from the elements and weather suitable for the animal’s age, species and physical condition to keep it in good health. For livestock, it includes structures or natural features such as trees or topography.
The official wording
(2) An owner, possessor, breeder, operator of a pet shop, or person having the charge or custody of an animal shall not do any of the following:
MCL 750.50(2), opening · Checked
(a) Fail to provide an animal with adequate care.
MCL 750.50(2)(a) · Checked
"Adequate care" means the provision of sufficient food, water, shelter, sanitary conditions, exercise, and veterinary medical attention to maintain an animal in a state of good health.
MCL 750.50(1)(a) · Checked
"Animal" means a vertebrate other than a human being.
MCL 750.50(1)(b) · Checked
"Shelter" means adequate protection from the elements and weather conditions suitable for the age, species, and physical condition of the animal so as to maintain the animal in a state of good health. Shelter, for livestock, includes structures or natural features such as trees or topography.
MCL 750.50(1)(m), first two sentences · Checked
This definition does not include any condition resulting from a customary and reasonable practice pursuant to farming or animal husbandry.
MCL 750.50(1)(k), second sentence · Checked
(12) This section does not prohibit the lawful killing or other use of an animal, including the following:
MCL 750.50(12), opening · Checked
(f) Farming or a generally accepted animal husbandry or farming practice that involves livestock.
MCL 750.50(12)(f) · Checked
(g) Scientific research under 1969 PA 224, MCL 287.381 to 287.395.
MCL 750.50(12)(g) · Checked
"Livestock" means that term as defined in section 3 of the animal industry act, 1988 PA 466, MCL 287.703.
MCL 750.50(1)(g) · Checked
Livestock includes, but is not limited to, cattle, sheep, new world camelids, old world camelids, goats, bison, privately owned cervids, ratites, swine, equids, poultry, aquaculture species, and rabbits.
MCL 287.703(tt), second sentence · Checked
Definitions; tether or confinement of farm animal or egg-laying hen; exceptions; violation of section; injunction; construction of section; good faith defense; effective date.
Animal Industry Act (1988 PA 466) section index, MCL 287.746 catchline · Checked
National or state rules on keeping poultry
Conditions apply to this finding
Jurisdiction: Michigan
Applies to: Michigan’s Right to Farm Act preemption of conflicting local ordinances for farms and farm operations in commercial production, and the local zoning power.
Outside this finding's scope
- No statewide permission or prohibition on keeping chickens is established by this finding. Your local unit of government may regulate land use by zoning ordinance, so check with it. This page names the state law, not its own ordinances, and doesn't cover HOA, rooster or setback rules.
- Whether a particular backyard flock is a farm or farm operation under the Act is not established here, and the generally accepted agricultural and management practices were not checked.
What the checked sources say
- Under the Right to Farm Act, a farm is the land, animals, buildings and other appurtenances used in the commercial production of farm products, and farm products include poultry and poultry products.
- The Act is intended to preempt local ordinances that purport to extend or revise it or the generally accepted agricultural and management practices developed under it. Except as the section provides, a local unit of government may not enact, maintain or enforce an ordinance that conflicts with the Act or those practices.
- A local unit of government may by zoning ordinance regulate land development and establish districts that regulate the use of land and structures.
The official wording
"Farm" means the land, plants, animals, buildings, structures, including ponds used for agricultural or aquacultural activities, machinery, equipment, and other appurtenances used in the commercial production of farm products.
MCL 286.472(a) · Checked
dairy and dairy products, poultry and poultry products,
MCL 286.472(c), list of farm products · Checked
it is the express legislative intent that this act preempt any local ordinance, regulation, or resolution that purports to extend or revise in any manner the provisions of this act or generally accepted agricultural and management practices developed under this act.
MCL 286.474(6), first sentence · Checked
Except as otherwise provided in this section, a local unit of government shall not enact, maintain, or enforce an ordinance, regulation, or resolution that conflicts in any manner with this act or generally accepted agricultural and management practices developed under this act.
MCL 286.474(6), second sentence · Checked
(1) A local unit of government may provide by zoning ordinance for the regulation of land development and the establishment of 1 or more districts within its zoning jurisdiction which regulate the use of land and structures
MCL 125.3201(1), opening · Checked
Bird flu right now? PoultryPal's bird-flu tracker for Michigan has the latest we've checked.
Next door
Every state on the map →Common questions
- Do I have to register backyard chickens in Michigan?
- Registration: not established. The finding covers: The Michigan Animal Industry Act’s official-identification section (MCL 287.711b). Outside this finding's scope: Whether Michigan requires backyard poultry keepers to register was not established. The identification section names other species, not poultry; that does not prove no other registration rule exists.
- Can I keep chickens in my backyard in Michigan?
- The state law we read gives a named local body its own powers over where hens can live. A local unit of government may by zoning ordinance regulate land development and establish districts that regulate the use of land and structures. No statewide permission or prohibition on keeping chickens is established by this finding. Your local unit of government may regulate land use by zoning ordinance, so check with it. This page names the state law, not its own ordinances, and doesn't cover HOA, rooster or setback rules. Look up the local rules where you live (the ordinances, bylaws or zoning of the body named here), or ask that office, before you get hens.
- Do I have to keep my hens indoors for bird flu in Michigan?
- Housing orders come and go, so we never show one as current. We haven't confirmed an official current-status page for it. PoultryPal's bird-flu tracker page for Michigan has the latest we've checked.
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