The county cannot zone, so it sets no chicken limit in unincorporated areas. Cities regulate fowl: Galveston restricts poultry near dwellings. A voter-adopted stock law can bar hogs or livestock from running at large.
Texas counties have no zoning authority, so unincorporated Galveston County (Bolivar Peninsula, Bacliff, San Leon) sets no numeric limit on backyard chickens or livestock. Inside cities the city code governs coops and fowl setbacks; Galveston's Chapter 7 regulates poultry near dwellings and running at large. What a county CAN do is enforce an adopted stock law under Agriculture Code Chapter 143: once voters adopt the subchapter, an owner may not permit the named class of animal (such as hogs or cattle) to run at large. The county also cannot override the state right-to-farm protections for established agricultural operations.
Permitting livestock to run at large where a stock law is adopted is a Class C misdemeanor and the animal may be impounded as an estray under Agriculture Code Chapter 142.
Other ordinances people look up for this city. Green dot = verified primary-source excerpt.
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Composting is legal and encouraged in Texas. Galveston County sets no composting rule, and Property Code 202.007 stops an HOA from banning backyard compostin...
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Galveston County sets no rule on artificial turf. Whether you can install synthetic grass depends on your city's landscaping code and any HOA covenant. State...
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Galveston County does not regulate plant choices on private property. Texas Property Code 202.007 protects owners' right to use drought-resistant landscaping...
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Rainwater harvesting is legal statewide and encouraged in Texas. Galveston County sets no permit for home rain barrels, and Texas Property Code 202.007 bars ...
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Watering rules come from your city or water district, not the county. Under Galveston's Stage 1 drought plan, irrigation is limited to two designated days a ...
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In unincorporated Galveston County, weeds are governed by Texas Health & Safety Code Chapter 343: uncultivated growth over 36 inches within 300 feet of anoth...
See how Galveston County's chickens & livestock rules stack up against other locations.
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