Idaho committee deadlocks on bill to allow backyard chickens in HOAs

Representative Steve Tanner, sponsor of House Bill 404, asked the House Agriculture Affairs Committee on March 18 to send the bill to the House floor with a “do pass” recommendation to allow homeowners in subdivisions governed by homeowners associations to keep chickens.

Tanner said the bill would apply only to chickens (genus Gallus), would not cover commercial or agricultural operations, and would allow HOAs to retain the ability to set “reasonable rules” such as banning roosters and addressing manure and odor. “This is a true chicken bill,” Representative Steve Tanner said, and he told the committee the proposal removes a previous per‑acre cap and instead prevents HOAs from outright prohibiting chickens while preserving local ordinances and a minimum lot size of one quarter acre.

The bill’s sponsor said local ordinances will “always take first place” and that the measure excludes agricultural zones, hobby farms, and commercial operations. He cited existing Idaho statutes that similarly limit HOA control over specific matters, saying examples include provisions for solar panels, political signs and flags.

Why it matters: The committee heard more than an hour of testimony from homeowners, HOA officials, attorneys and property managers. Supporters said limited backyard chickens boost household food security, teach children…