Appleton, WI Animal Ordinances: Chickens & Livestock (2026)
Key Facts
- Livestock (horses, pigs, goats, sheep)
- Banned citywide (§3-52(a))
- Chicken hens allowed
- Up to 6, with permit (§3-52(e))
- Hen permit issued by
- Health Department
- Eligible dwellings
- 1- and 2-family only
- Honeybee hives
- Permit required (§3-52(b)/(c))
- Roosters
- Not authorized
Summary
Appleton bans keeping livestock like horses, pigs, goats and sheep inside city limits under §3-52(a), but a Health Department permit lets a household keep up to six chicken hens at any one- or two-family home, plus limited allowances for honeybees and pigeons.
(a) Except as otherwise permitted within this section, no person shall keep, sell or offer for sale within the City any horses, cows, pigs, goats, sheep, bees, pigeons, chickens, geese, ducks or other fowl or any other domestic animal other than a dog, cat, rabbit, small caged birds, small caged animals or reptiles or aquatic and amphibian animals, kept solely as pets. ... (e) Upon obtaining a permit issued by the Health Department, and subject to the Rules and Regulations for hen keeping, up to six (6) chicken hens may be maintained by the permit holder. ... The permit will allow up to six (6) chicken hens at all one- (1-) and two (2-) family dwellings.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: the cited page had not changed since it was quoted.
Full Breakdown
Section 3-52(a) bars keeping, selling or offering for sale any horse, cow, pig, goat, sheep, pigeon, chicken, goose, duck or other fowl, or any domestic animal other than a dog, cat, rabbit, small caged bird, small caged animal, reptile, or aquatic or amphibian animal kept solely as a pet. Three narrow, permit-based exceptions carve back into that ban. Honeybee hives can be kept in P-I Public Institutional-zoned areas, on Central Business District rooftops, or in approved urban farms with a Health Department permit under subsection (b), and subsection (c) separately allows residential honeybee hives with a Health Department permit subject to requirements on file there.
Subsection (d) allows a limited number of pigeons with a Health Department permit. Subsection (e) is the backyard-chicken allowance: with a Health Department permit and compliance with the department's on-file Rules and Regulations for hen keeping, a household may maintain up to six chicken hens at any one- or two-family dwelling in the city. The ordinance authorizes hens only; it does not authorize roosters. Kennels and pet stores that lawfully keep other regulated species are governed separately under §3-53 and are subject to the City's zoning rules for where such a business may locate.
Violations & Fines
Keeping livestock, fowl or bees without the required Health Department permit violates §3-52 and is punishable under the chapter's general penalty at §1-16, cross-referenced through §3-2(c). The Health Department can revoke or decline to renew a hen or bee permit for noncompliance with its on-file rules, and Police or Health Department staff are authorized to inspect the premises where the animals are kept.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I keep chickens in my Appleton backyard?
Can I keep goats or pigs at my house in Appleton?
Do I need a permit to keep bees in Appleton?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Appleton
How Appleton compares: Best Cities for Backyard Chickens·Compare Appleton to another location·View the Wisconsin animal ordinances overview
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Chickens & Livestock in Nearby Cities
How other cities in Outagamie County handle chickens & livestock.