Under Riverside County Ordinance 348, chickens and small livestock are allowed on most residential-agricultural (R-A), rural residential (R-R), and agricultural (A-1, A-2) parcels. On standard residential (R-1) parcels, small numbers of hens may be kept subject to setback and coop standards. Roosters and larger flocks generally require parcels of 1 acre or more.
Riverside County Ordinance 348 defines allowed animal-keeping by zone. In A-1 and A-2 agricultural zones, chickens, ducks, goats, sheep, and similar small livestock are permitted without numerical cap provided structures meet setbacks (typically 20-40 feet from dwellings on neighboring lots). In R-A (Residential Agricultural) zones, hens and small flocks are commonly allowed on half-acre and larger lots with a coop set back at least 20-40 feet from the nearest neighboring dwelling. In R-1 residential zones, keeping of up to 12 hens is typically permitted on lots of 7,200 sq ft or larger, with roosters excluded because of the county noise ordinance. Coops must be kept clean to prevent odor and vector issues under Ord. 725 (public nuisance) and Ord. 555 (stormwater — no manure runoff into drainage). Riverside County Animal Services does not license chickens but will respond to welfare complaints. Larger livestock (horses, cattle) require more land (typically 1 acre minimum per horse under Ord. 348) and are covered under livestock rules.
Specific penalty amounts for this ordinance are not published in a publicly accessible fine schedule. Contact Riverside County code enforcement directly for current fines, enforcement procedures, and hearing options.
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