Bowling Green, KY Animal Ordinances: Chickens & Livestock (2026)
Key Facts
- Poultry cap
- 5 non-crowing birds per property
- Roosters/peafowl
- Banned citywide
- Swine
- Banned citywide, declared a nuisance
- Livestock minimum lot
- 2 acres to keep any livestock
- Livestock setback
- 100 feet from residence, church or school
- Poultry fine
- $100 / $200 / $400 by offense
- Livestock fine
- $50 / $100 / $200 by offense
Summary
Bowling Green allows up to five non-crowing poultry per property but bans roosters, crowing poultry and peafowl outright. Livestock needs at least two acres, is capped at two head per lot unless the tract is larger, swine are banned citywide, and no livestock may be housed within 100 feet of a neighboring residence, church or school.
5-1.07 Poultry Restrictions. a. A maximum of five (5) non-crowing poultry is allowed per property. b. No roosters or crowing poultry or peal fowl are allowed in the City limits. c. It shall be unlawful for the owners of or those having control of poultry in the City to allow such poultry to run at large or off the premises of those owning or controlling same, or fail to confine the poultry as defined hereinabove. ... 5-2.01 Restrictions; Confinement of Livestock. a. The raising or keeping of swine and the maintenance of pigpens within the City limits is prohibited, and is hereby declared to be a nuisance and a menace to public health. b. The keeping or harboring of livestock in the City requires an individual tract, lot or parcel of property to be at least two (2) acres or more. ... ... d. No livestock of any kind shall be housed within one hundred (100') feet of a neighboring residence, church or school in the City.
Full Breakdown
Sec. 5-1.07 caps non-crowing poultry at five per property, bans roosters, other crowing poultry and peafowl inside city limits entirely, and makes it unlawful to let poultry run at large or go unconfined, which Sec. 5-1.01 defines as a fenced yard or structure tall enough to keep the birds in, with gates that latch or lock. Sec. 5-2.01(a) declares raising swine or keeping pigpens in the city a nuisance and a menace to public health, banning it outright. Sec. 5-2.01(b) requires at least two acres to keep or harbor any livestock at all, and Sec.
5-2.01(c) caps ordinary lots at two head, rising to two head per acre on tracts of four to fifty acres, with anything over fifty acres exempt from the cap. Sec. 5-2.01(d) bars housing any livestock within 100 feet of a neighboring residence, church or school, and Sec. 5-2.01(e) requires livestock be confined by a fence in good repair, with unrestrained livestock that threatens public safety subject to removal or impoundment at the owner's expense. Sec. 5-2.02 exempts the livestock market, a dairy, and the Western Kentucky University farm, and Sec. 5-2.03 grandfathers livestock operations already underway when land is annexed into the city.
Violations & Fines
Poultry violations, including keeping roosters or exceeding the five-bird cap, draw a civil fine of $100 first offense, $200 second, and $400 third or greater within five years at the same property; livestock violations, including keeping swine or exceeding the acreage-based head count, draw $50/$100/$200 on the same escalation, doubled if a citation is contested before the Code Enforcement and Nuisance Board.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I keep backyard chickens in Bowling Green?
Can I raise pigs or other livestock in Bowling Green?
What happens if my livestock gets loose?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Bowling Green
How Bowling Green compares: Best Cities for Backyard Chickens·Compare Bowling Green to another location·View the Kentucky animal ordinances overview
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