Boone County, MO Animal Ordinances: Chickens & Livestock (2026)
Key Facts
- Applies to
- residential lots 3 acres or less
- Purpose limit
- non-profit, personal use only
- Housing setback
- 50 feet from neighbor's dwelling
- Section
- Zoning Ordinance § 13
Summary
On residential lots of 3 acres or less, Boone County zoning permits keeping chickens and other domesticated animals only for non-profit use and requires animal housing 50 feet from a neighbor's home.
(1) The keeping, feeding and maintenance of domesticated animals and fowl is permitted for non-profit purposes only. (2) The slaughter of animals and fowl is permitted only where intended for consumption by the resident family. (3) Buildings for the housing of animals, other than household pets, shall not be kept within fifty (50) feet of a dwelling on adjoining property.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: the cited page had not changed since it was quoted.
Full Breakdown
Section 13 of the Boone County Zoning Ordinance governs animal-keeping on residentially developed lots of 3 acres or less. Keeping, feeding, and maintaining chickens, fowl, and other domesticated animals is allowed only for non-profit, personal purposes, not as a commercial operation. Slaughter is permitted solely when the meat is for consumption by the resident family. Any building used to house the animals, aside from a shelter for a household pet, must sit at least 50 feet from a dwelling on an adjoining property, pushing coops and barns away from a neighbor's house even on a small lot.
Violations & Fines
Raising chickens or livestock for sale on a 3-acre-or-smaller residential lot, or housing animals within 50 feet of a neighbor's dwelling, violates Section 13.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I raise chickens in unincorporated Boone County?
Can I sell eggs or meat from backyard animals?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Boone County
How Boone County compares: Best Cities for Backyard Chickens·Compare Boone County to another location·View the Missouri animal ordinances overview
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