Backyard Chickens & Small Flocks
How to get started
If you wish to own chickens on your property:
- Contact your county's planning and zoning office
- If the planning office confirms your property is approved for farming of chickens/backyard flocks, register your flock with the state
- If you wish to sell hatching eggs or chicks, register in the National Poultry Improvement Program and apply for the appropriate permit (see below).
- Review our guidelines for small egg producers
How to register your flock
Any person with poultry in Maryland must register their birds.
The critical information collected with the Maryland Poultry Premises Registration provides animal health officials with necessary contact information in case of an animal health concern and helps identify at risk animals and premises. All information collected remains confidential.
Frequently asked questions
Backyard flock registration - FAQs
Premises registration is an effort to establish a complete record of all locations in Maryland where poultry are raised, held, or boarded. The basic contact information you provide ensures that you will be notified quickly when a disease event might put your premises and your animals at risk.
In an animal health emergency, no one can help you protect your animals if they don't know you are there. The basic contact information provided during premises registration opens the lines of communication between producers and animal health officials. Registering your premises means that you will be alerted quickly when there is a potential disease threat to your animals. You then have the information and assistance you need to take action and protect your animals and your investment.
In general, a premises is a location where poultry are raised, held, or boarded. Examples would include farms, ranches, markets, exhibitions, and slaughtering facilities.
In Maryland, any premises where poultry are maintained must be registered with the Maryland Department of Agriculture according to Agric. Art., Section § 3-804. - PDF
When registering your premises, you will be asked to provide the following information:
- Name of the premises
- Point of contact
- Street address/city/state/zip code
- Contact phone number
- Operation type (production unit, market, exhibition, slaughter plant, etc.)
- Alternative phone number(s)
Selling Eggs, Live Poultry, & Hatching Eggs
Selling table eggs
The Maryland Egg law requires all eggs sold in the state meet standards for safety, quality, labeling and weight. The law is designed to ensure that Maryland consumers have wholesome, high quality eggs.
Everyone selling eggs, even small backyard producers, must comply with it. If you are selling eggs for human consumption, Maryland law requires a special permit.
Learn about guidelines for small egg producers.
Selling live poultry or hatching eggs
You must have a permit to sell live poultry or hatching eggs in Maryland. The only exceptions are poultry sold for immediate slaughter (COMAR 15.11.11.04) or at an approved auction market.
Learn more about permits to sell live poultry or hatching eggs or operate a hatchery.
Poultry swap meet policy
Any poultry sold in Maryland must be healthy and free of disease. This includes poultry sold at swap meets. Swap meet poultry sellers are required to have poultry premises registration and to maintain records of all sales. Contact MDA Animal Health: 410-841-5810 for any questions.
Keeping your flock healthy
Signs of illness
Know the signs of sick bids. Signs of illness include:
- Swollen eyelids/sinuses/combs or wattles;
- Purple or bluish discoloration of wattles and combs;
- Respiratory snicking;
- Generally depressed birds;
- Unexplained mortality
Learn more about avian influenza, and report sick birds to 410-841-5810.
Sick bird reporting for back yard flocks
- Monitor your flock for any signs of increased mortality.
- Pay particular attention if any birds are showing signs of respiratory illness or distress.
- If concerned, send an email to [email protected] with contact information, size of flock, location and concerns.
- You will be contacted if a sample needs to be taken.
- DO NOT take a sick bird to a lab to be tested or move off-site.
- If necessary, personnel will notify you and then arrange to visit the site to take a sample.
Resources
- Small Flock Information: University of Maryland's Poultry Page
- Maryland Department of Health Avian Influenza Resource Page
- MDA Animal Health Poultry Information
- UMD Extension AI Updates & Info
- Maryland Dept. of Natural Resources
- Delmarva Chicken Association
Contact Animal Health
410-841-5810 office
800-492-5590 toll free
410-841-5971 after hours
[email protected]