Albuquerque, NM Animal Ordinances: Chickens & Livestock (2026)

ROA Sec. 9-2-4-3(C) sets numeric limits on backyard fowl and small livestock: poultry are limited to 15 birds, with no more than one rooster in a household, and rabbits are limited to 15 in the same household. These animal-count limits sit alongside the city's land-use rules in the Integrated Development Ordinance (IDO), administered by the Planning Department, which determines in which zone districts and under what setback/enclosure conditions poultry and larger livestock may be kept. Housing and restraint standards for birds and mammals kept on residential property appear in ROA Sec. 9-2-2-2, which requires adequate shelter, ventilation, and sanitary conditions. Because the HEART Ordinance directly addresses the number of fowl and rabbits, residents do not rely on state default rules for these counts; zoning suitability for the property still must be confirmed through the IDO.