Chickens & Livestock
Animal Ordinances
Combined rules for keeping chickens and other livestock such as goats, rabbits, and ducks on residential property, including lot size requirements.
How Chickens & Livestock Rules Differ by Place
Carson, CA: Carson Bans Backyard Chickens, Livestock
Heavy RestrictionsCarson's zoning code prohibits residents from keeping livestock or fowl, including chickens, turkeys, ducks, geese, and other farm animals, at any dwelling unit or group quarters in…
Wilmington, DE: Wilmington Bans Backyard Livestock
Heavy RestrictionsWilmington outlaws keeping chickens, goats, pigs, horses, and other farm animals anywhere in city limits, with only narrow named exceptions.
Washington, DC: D.C. Ban on Keeping Chickens as Pets
Heavy RestrictionsWashington, D.C. does not allow chickens, ducks, goats, or other livestock to be kept as household pets. D.C. Code § 8-1808(h)(1) bars possessing any animal as a household pet except a…
Lee County, AL: Lee County Backyard Chickens and Livestock Rules
Few RestrictionsLee County's Zoning Regulations classify backyard chickens, poultry and livestock keeping as a "Hobby or recreational farm" or "Commercial farm" land use under Article III. Both are…
Washington County, AR: Washington County Chickens & Livestock Rules
Few RestrictionsUnincorporated Washington County broadly allows chickens, cattle, horses, and other livestock on rural and agricultural parcels, core to the region's poultry economy. City limits like…
Oakley, CA: Animals: Livestock
Few RestrictionsLivestock such as horses, cattle, sheep, and goats are permitted only in Oakley's agricultural-residential and agricultural zones, with a minimum lot size typically one acre or…
Chickens & Livestock Rules by State
Statewide law governs this topic in many states. Each entry links to that state's full page.
Alabama
Some RestrictionsAlabama's Right to Farm Act protects agricultural operations from nuisance suits and limits municipal restrictions on bona fide farms, while statewide livestock laws govern fence-out…
Alaska
Some RestrictionsAlaska has no statewide leash law for cattle, horses, sheep, goats, or swine: it stays open range unless a district judge establishes a controlled livestock district. Inside a…
Arizona
Some RestrictionsArizona generally leaves chicken and livestock keeping to municipal zoning, but state law protects agricultural operations on land zoned or used for farming under the Right to Farm Act.
Arkansas
Some RestrictionsArkansas Code 2-38-301, rewritten by Act 594 of 2023, makes it unlawful statewide for any livestock to run at large. An owner who is notified that an animal is loose has 24 hours to…
California
Some RestrictionsCalifornia Food and Agricultural Code section 16902 forbids any owner from willfully or negligently letting livestock stray onto, or stand unattended on, a public highway that is…
Colorado
Some RestrictionsColorado's Right to Farm Act protects existing agricultural operations, including livestock and poultry, from nuisance claims when conducted on land zoned or used for agriculture…
Connecticut
Light RestrictionsConnecticut General Statutes § 47-43 requires landowners to build and keep sufficient fences that contain their livestock and stop them from roaming at large, and § 47-55 makes owners…
Delaware
Some RestrictionsDelaware makes it unlawful to let livestock, poultry, swine, cattle, equine and more, run at large on public highways or unenclosed lands. The Secretary of Agriculture assesses civil…
District of Columbia
Some RestrictionsWashington, DC lets residents keep backyard chickens as captive-bred common cage birds, but hogs, cattle, goats, and sheep are not on the District's permitted-animals list and cannot…
Florida
Some RestrictionsFlorida Statutes Chapter 588 makes livestock owners liable for animals that stray onto public roads. Under section 588.15, an owner who negligently permits cattle, horses, hogs, or…
Hawaii
Some RestrictionsHawaii makes livestock owners strictly liable for damage their animals cause when straying onto cultivated land, roads, or others' property. Under HRS §142-63 and §142-64 the owner…
Illinois
Some RestrictionsIllinois flatly bars owners from letting livestock run at large. Under 510 ILCS 55/1 you must provide restraints to keep animals confined, and you are civilly liable for all damage…
Indiana
Few RestrictionsIndiana's Right to Farm Act protects established agricultural operations from nuisance lawsuits and limits local restrictions on farms operating in agricultural zones. Counties retain…
Iowa
Some RestrictionsIowa Code Chapter 459 governs animal feeding operations and substantially preempts local control over confinement livestock through the master matrix system administered by the Iowa…
Kansas
Few RestrictionsKansas Right to Farm Act (K.S.A. 2-3201 et seq.) protects established agricultural operations, including livestock and poultry, from nuisance lawsuits when nonagricultural uses…
Kentucky
Some RestrictionsKentucky law forbids anyone from letting cattle run at large. Owners are liable for all damage the animals cause, sheriffs may impound loose stock, and violators face a fine under KRS…
Louisiana
Some RestrictionsLouisiana is open range by default, but La. R.S. 3:2803 bars owners from letting cattle, horses, swine, poultry and other livestock roam free on a long list of named state highways…
Maine
Few RestrictionsMaine state law sets no uniform rule on backyard chickens or small livestock. Each city or town establishes hen counts, coop setbacks, and rooster bans under home-rule authority.
Massachusetts
Some RestrictionsMassachusetts law directs every town field driver to take up horses, mules, asses, neat cattle, sheep, goats, or swine running at large on public ways or common land, then impound the…
Michigan
Some RestrictionsMichigan's Right to Farm Act preempts local ordinances regulating commercial farms following Generally Accepted Agricultural Management Practices, but a 2014 amendment removed…
Minnesota
Some RestrictionsMinnesota Statutes section 346.16 makes it unlawful for the owner or keeper of cattle, horses, asses, mules, sheep, swine, or goats to let those animals run at large anywhere in the…
Mississippi
Some RestrictionsMississippi's Board of Animal Health forbids any carrier from moving livestock or poultry into or through the state unless the shipment meets the Board's entry and disease-traceability…
Missouri
Few RestrictionsMissouri RSMo 442.404 prohibits homeowners associations and deed covenants from banning ownership or pasturing of up to six chickens on lots two-tenths of an acre or larger, including…
Montana
Few RestrictionsMontana's Right to Farm and Ranch Act (MCA 76-2-901 to 76-2-903) bars local ordinances from declaring established livestock and poultry operations a nuisance based on changed…
Nebraska
Some RestrictionsUnder Nebraska's herd law, owners of cattle, horses, mules, swine, sheep, and goats are liable for all damage their stock does when it runs at large onto another person's land (Neb…
Nevada
Light RestrictionsNevada is a fence-out, open-range state. Under NRS 569.440, a livestock owner is liable for trespass only when animals break through a legal fence enclosing your property. Without a…
New Hampshire
Light RestrictionsNew Hampshire makes it a violation to knowingly, recklessly, or negligently let your sheep, goats, cattle, horses, swine, or domestic fowl trespass onto another person's improved or…
New Jersey
Some RestrictionsNew Jersey's Right to Farm Act protects commercial farms from local restrictions, while the Department of Agriculture sets statewide livestock standards.
New Mexico
Few RestrictionsNew Mexico is a fence-out state under NMSA 77-16-1, meaning landowners must fence livestock OUT of property. Counties cannot restrict free-running livestock in unincorporated open…
New York
Some RestrictionsUnder New York Agriculture and Markets Law §373, any police officer or humane society agent may seize a lost, strayed, homeless, or abandoned animal, cattle, goats, sheep, or chickens…
North Carolina
Few RestrictionsNorth Carolina's Right to Farm Act limits nuisance lawsuits and local restrictions on bona fide farm operations, including livestock and poultry kept on qualifying farms statewide.
North Dakota
Some RestrictionsNorth Dakota is a fence-in state: no livestock may be permitted to run at large. An owner or possessor who willfully lets cattle, horses, sheep, goats, or swine roam by failing to…
Ohio
Some RestrictionsOhio law shields qualifying agricultural operations from local livestock nuisance suits, but cities retain zoning authority over backyard chickens and small livestock outside…
Oklahoma
Few RestrictionsOklahoma's Right to Farm Act protects established agricultural operations, including livestock and poultry, from nuisance lawsuits and certain local regulations after one year of…
Oregon
Light RestrictionsOregon is an open-range state: under ORS 607.005 livestock may lawfully run at large unless voters form a livestock district. Inside a district, ORS 607.045 makes it unlawful to permit…
Pennsylvania
Some RestrictionsPennsylvania's Right to Farm Act limits municipal restrictions on normal agricultural operations including chickens and livestock on qualifying farmland.
Rhode Island
Light RestrictionsRhode Island treats horses, cattle, sheep, and hogs running loose on any highway or common as animals at large. Under RIGL § 4-15-3 the town surveyor of highways must take up the…
South Carolina
Some RestrictionsSouth Carolina is a closed-range "fence-in" state. Section 47-7-110 makes it unlawful for the owner of any domestic animal to willfully or negligently let it run at large beyond his…
Tennessee
Few RestrictionsTennessee's Right to Farm Act shields established agricultural operations, including livestock and poultry, from local nuisance ordinances and most municipal restrictions on existing…
Texas
Some RestrictionsTexas Agriculture Code Section 143.102 makes it a statewide offense to knowingly let a horse, mule, donkey, cow, bull, steer, hog, sheep, or goat roam unattended on a highway…
Virginia
Some RestrictionsVirginia's Right to Farm Act limits how localities can restrict livestock and poultry kept as production agriculture in agriculturally zoned districts.
Washington
Some RestrictionsWashington bars owners from willfully or negligently letting livestock run at large in any stock restricted area under RCW 16.24.065. Owners are liable for trespass damage, and…
Wisconsin
Some RestrictionsWisconsin's right-to-farm law (Wis. Stat. 823.08) and Livestock Facility Siting Law (Wis. Stat. 93.90) limit municipal authority to restrict agricultural operations and standardize…
Wyoming
Some RestrictionsWyoming livestock laws require brand inspections, disease control, and fencing standards statewide. The Wyoming Livestock Board administers brand recording and movement permits that…
Cities & Counties with Chickens & Livestock Rules
630 locations
Alabama
Delaware
District of Columbia
Florida
North Carolina
Other Animal Ordinances Topics
Dog Leash Laws
When and where dogs must be on a leash, off-leash park rules, leash length limits, and penalties for dogs running loose.
Breed Restrictions
Bans or special requirements for specific dog breeds, including breed-specific legislation, muzzle requirements, and insurance mandates.
Beekeeping
Rules for keeping bees in residential areas, including hive placement, number of colonies allowed, and registration requirements.
Exotic Pets
Which non-traditional pets are allowed or banned, such as reptiles, ferrets, potbelly pigs, and other exotic animals.
Wildlife Feeding
Rules about feeding wild animals like deer, coyotes, or feral cats, and requirements for securing trash to prevent wildlife encounters.
Pet Limits
Maximum number of cats, dogs, or other companion animals allowed per household, including counts that trigger kennel-license requirements.
Cat Rules
Rules specific to cats, outdoor roaming, feral cat colonies, leash laws (yes, some cities require them), and licensing requirements.
Mandatory Spay/Neuter
Requirements that dogs and cats over a certain age be sterilized, with intact-animal permits, exemptions for breeders, and penalties for noncompliance.
Microchipping
Mandates that dogs and cats be microchipped before leaving a shelter or by a certain age, including registration and tag requirements.
Coyote Management
How your city handles urban coyotes, including hazing protocols, feeding bans, and what residents should do when sighting one near homes.
Pet Store Rules
Restrictions on retail pet sales, including bans on commercially bred dogs and cats and rescue-only sourcing requirements.
Pet Groomer Rules
Health and safety standards for commercial pet grooming, including animal-handling certifications, sanitation, and zoning where mobile groomers may operate.
Veterinary Clinic Zoning
Where veterinary clinics, animal hospitals, and emergency animal-care facilities may be located, including overnight-boarding and noise buffers.
Bird Protection
Local rules protecting specific bird species (LAMC §53.55), including penalties for trapping or harming protected species and bird-safe building design.
Wildlife Rescue Permits
CDFW and city permits required to rehabilitate injured wildlife, including the Wildlife Rehabilitation Permit program and approved holding facilities.