October 23, 2025 | Mark Luis Foster

Who knew, but apparently if you live in an HOA in Missouri, you could keep up to six chickens in your backyard. But that has come to a (ahem) screeching halt. Some legal action now allows associations in the Show Me State to ban all the clucking.

From Spectrum News:

Missouri homeowner associations can again ban residents from keeping chickens in their backyards. A Cole County judge has ruled that the bill barring HOA regulation is unlawful, since it contains more than one subject and exceeds its original purpose.

With recent years of inflation eating everyone’s lunch budget (and more), many chicken-owning residents have taken exception to the HOA ban allowance. Perhaps this 11-year-olds summed it best:

“I’ve had them for as long as I can remember,” said Trusten Polk, 11-year-old Eureka resident. “I think they’re good pets, too. They just lay good food. The eggs are really nice.”

The whole thing came from a larger bill, HB 2062, which included provisions on backyard chickens, along with electric vehicle charging stations and home inspections . It was signed into law in July 2024, allowing Missourians with at least two-tenths of an acre to own up to six chickens. However, Circuit Judge Brian Stumpe ruled Monday that the entire bill violates Missouri’s constitution.

You can read the whole clucking thing HERE.