Backyard Chickens in Shreveport: How to Stay Within the Law

SHREVEPORT, LA – With the high price of eggs these days, some people in Shreveport might be thinking about getting chickens as a way to have a home-grown supply of eggs. I have several friends who already have chickens and I have been lucky enough to be able to buy eggs fresh from their henhouses. And the price is still very reasonable.

READ MORE: Egg Prices in Shreveport.

What Are the Rules for Owning Chickens in Shreveport?

If you live in Shreveport, you can raise chickens in your yard, but there are some strict rules. You can only own up to 8 chickens. The ordinance says “fowl and poultry other than chickens are not allowed.”

You can only have a chicken coop in your backyard.

Roosters are prohibited. However, if the sex of a chick cannot be determined at hatching, a chick of either sex may be kept on the property for up to six months.

You are not allowed to sell the eggs as a commercial enterprise.

The hens must be kept in a fenced enclosure at all times. The hens also “must be wing-clipped to prevent escape.”

If you plan to have chickens in the city of Shreveport, be prepared to have a minimum of three square feet per hen henhouses and six square feet per bird for fenced enclosures.

You must also keep the henhouses ventilated and odor free.

READ MORE: Egg Rationing in Louisiana

Do You Have to Have a Permit to Raise Chickens in Shreveport?

Yes. A permit required. An annual permit is required to keep any domesticated chickens in Shreveport. You also have to have a building permit for the construction of a henhouse and chicken pen.  The permit fee is $25 dollars.

Can You Have Chickens in Bossier City?

Bossier residents are not allowed to have chickens in the city limits. There was an attempt to make this legal back in 2022, but the city council voted against the proposal.

The Council voted unanimously against the proposal which would have legalized as many as 6 hens for residents. The Bossier ordinance would have mirrored what is currently legal in Shreveport.