Weld County, CO Animal Ordinances: Chickens & Livestock (2026)
Key Facts
- Fowl classified as
- Livestock
- Birds on 10+ acres
- Up to thirty
- Zone
- Agricultural district
- Larger flocks
- Animal-unit limits apply
- Farm poultry
- Right-to-farm protected
Summary
Weld County's animal code counts fowl as livestock. In the Agricultural zone a lot of at least ten acres (not in a subdivision) may keep up to 30 birds as household pets; larger flocks are governed by animal-unit limits, and agricultural poultry is protected by Colorado's Right to Farm Act.
except that on a LOT of at least ten (10) acres and not in a SUBDIVISION or HISTORIC TOWNSITE the owner or occupant shall be permitted to keep or maintain up to eight (8) HOUSEHOLD PETS of one (1) species or sixteen (16) HOUSEHOLD PETS of two (2) or more species, and up to thirty (30) birds.E.Minimum distance from OIL AND GAS FACILITIES. All BUILDINGS shall comply with the provisions of Section 23-4-700 of this chapter.F.Sources of light shall be shielded so that beams or rays of light will not shine directly onto ADJACENT properties. Neither the direct nor reflected light from any light source may create a traffic hazard to operators of motor vehicles on PUBLIC or private STREETS/ROADS. No colored lights may be used which may be confused with or construed as traffic control devices. (Weld County Code Ordinance 2019-02; Weld County Code Ordinance 2020-16; Weld County Code Ordinance 2021-09; Weld County Code Ordinance 2021-15; Weld County Code Ordinance 2022-08; Weld County Code Ordinance 2023-03; Weld County Code Ordinance 2025-11)
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Charter and County Code: Supplement 95).
Full Breakdown
Under Weld County Code Sec. 14-4-10, "livestock" includes fowl. In the A (Agricultural) Zone District, Zoning Sec. 23-3-70(D) sets household-pet limits but allows a lot of at least ten acres, not in a subdivision or historic townsite, to keep up to thirty birds. Commercial or larger-scale poultry is treated as an agricultural use, and established agricultural operations using normal practices are shielded from nuisance suits by C.R.S. 35-3.5-102. Roosters are not separately banned county-wide, but noise and nuisance rules still apply. Incorporated towns such as Greeley and Evans set their own backyard-chicken rules, so residents inside city limits must check the municipal code.
Violations & Fines
Exceeding the household-pet or animal-unit limits, or keeping poultry as a use not allowed in the zone district, is a zoning violation enforced by Weld County Planning Services code compliance.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many chickens can I keep in unincorporated Weld County?
Are roosters banned in Weld County?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Weld County
How Weld County compares: Best Cities for Backyard Chickens·Compare Weld County to another location·View the Colorado animal ordinances overview
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