Jackson County, MS Animal Ordinances: Chickens & Livestock (2026)

The Jackson County Zoning Ordinance sets its backyard-chicken and livestock rule at the district level rather than in one standalone animal chapter. 07 (R-2 Two-Family Residential), so the acreage floor is the operative standard across every district built primarily for single- and two-family housing. A homeowner on a half-acre residential lot cannot keep chickens, goats or other farm animals or fowl regardless of how they are housed; reaching one full acre is what unlocks the use, not a coop-size or setback condition. The A-1 General Agricultural District, by contrast, carries no such acreage cap because it is built around agricultural use from the outset. 5's penalty scheme: a misdemeanor fine up to $500 for a willful violation, plus $100 per day if the animals remain after conviction.