Do you know how many chickens Oklahoma law lets you keep?

The answer is 100 chickens! I didn’t know this off the top of my head but came across it when I was looking at Oklahoma’s law that sets out the property that someone can keep regardless of what happens. This is known as an “exemption” statute and its function is to set out certain things, usually related to your home or business, that no creditor can take away from you unless you agree.

You can take a look at everything that is protected below. You will probably recognize that the statute has been updated piece-meal over the years as it protects one computer as well as 10 Hogs, 20 head of sheep and all provisions and forage on hand, or growing for home consumption, .

1. The home of such person, provided that such home is the principal residence of such person;
2. A manufactured home, provided that such manufactured home is the principal residence of such person;
3. All household and kitchen furniture held primarily for the personal, family, educational or household use of such person or a dependent of such person, including a personal computer and related equipment;
4. Any lot or lots in a cemetery held for the purpose of sepulcher;
5. Implements of husbandry necessary to farm the homestead and tools, apparatus and books used in any trade or profession of such person or a dependent of such person, not to exceed Ten Thousand Dollars ($10,000.00) in aggregate value;
6. All books, portraits and pictures that are held primarily for the personal, family or household use of such person or a dependent of such person;
7. The person’s interest, not to exceed Four Thousand Dollars ($4,000.00) in aggregate value, in wearing apparel that is held primarily for the personal, family or household use of such person or a dependent of such person;
8. The person’s interest, not to exceed Three Thousand Dollars ($3,000.00) in aggregate value, in wedding and anniversary rings;
9. All professionally prescribed health aids for such person or a dependent of such person;
10. Five milk cows and their calves under six (6) months old, that are held primarily for the personal, family or household use of such person or a dependent of such person;
11. One hundred chickens, that are held primarily for the personal, family or household use of such person or a dependent of such person;
12. Two horses and two bridles and two saddles, that are held primarily for the personal, family or household use of such person or a dependent of such person;
13. Such person’s interest, not to exceed Seven Thousand Five Hundred Dollars ($7,500.00) in value, in one motor vehicle;
14. Guns, not to exceed Two Thousand Dollars ($2,000.00) in aggregate value, that are held primarily for the personal, family or household use of such person or a dependent of such person, provided that nothing in this subsection shall be construed to allow a person to exempt guns which are used mainly as an investment or nonpersonal, family or household use;
15. Ten hogs, that are held primarily for the personal, family or household use of such person or a dependent of such person;
16. Twenty head of sheep, that are held primarily for the personal, family or household use of such person or a dependent of such person;
17. All provisions and forage on hand, or growing for home consumption, and for the use of exempt stock for one (1) year;
18. Seventy-five percent (75%) of all current wages or earnings for personal or professional services earned during the last ninety (90) days, except as provided in Title 12 of the Oklahoma Statutes in gar garnishment proceedings for collection of child support;
19. Such person’s right to receive alimony, support, separate maintenance or child support payments to the extent reasonably necessary for the support of such person and any dependent of such person;
20. Subject to the Uniform Fraudulent Transfer Act, Section 112 et seq. of Title 24 of the Oklahoma Statutes, any interest in a retirement plan or arrangement qualified for tax exemption or deferment purposes under present or future Acts of Congress; provided, any transfer or rollover contribution between retirement plans or arrangements which avoids current federal income taxation shall not be deemed a transfer which is fraudulent as to a creditor under the Uniform Fraudulent Transfer Act.
21. Such person’s interest in a claim for personal bodily injury, death or workers’ compensation claim, for a net amount not in excess of Fifty Thousand Dollars ($50,000.00), but not including any claim for exemplary or punitive damages;
22. Funds in an individual development account established pursuant to the provisions of Section 251 et seq. of Title 56 of the Oklahoma Statutes;
23. Any amount received pursuant to the federal earned income tax credit; and
24. Any interest in an Oklahoma College Savings Plan account established pursuant to the provisions of Section 3970.1 et seq. of Title 70 of the Oklahoma Statutes.

Posted by Shawn Roberts

On this blog, I write about and try to answer practical Oklahoma legal questions. My focus and most experience is in estate planning and business issues including Oklahoma non-compete law. I make a living as an attorney in the law firm I founded, Shawn J. Roberts, P.C. in Oklahoma City. I live in Edmond with my wife Amy and my two children, Sam (19) and David (11). We live precisely in the path of where the "wind comes sweeping down the plains."