Buncombe County cannot zone out bona fide farm uses, so keeping chickens, fowl, and livestock on qualifying property in the unincorporated county is broadly allowed under NCGS 160D-903. Animals must still avoid nuisance conditions and cages/pens have setback limits under the animal ordinance.
Under NCGS 160D-903, county zoning may not affect property used for bona fide farm purposes, which include raising livestock, poultry, and all other agriculture as defined in NCGS 106-581.1. Buncombe County's animal code (Sec. 6-28) defines livestock to include horses, swine, sheep, cattle, goats, chickens, and other fowl. There is no county numeric cap on backyard chickens for farm-use property. Cages or pens used to restrain animals generally must sit at least ten feet from the lot line and not within 50 feet of a neighboring dwelling (Sec. 6-57(a)(4)). Inside Asheville and other towns, municipal zoning may set stricter poultry rules. Since 2026 NC requires poultry owners to obtain an NCFarmID.
Farm animals kept so as to constitute a public nuisance (odor, waste runoff, at-large animals) are citable under Sec. 6-57 as Level I to Level III civil penalties ($50-$500). Cage/pen setback violations are Level I. Non-farm keeping may still be
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