Carroll County, MD Animal Ordinances: Chickens & Livestock (2026)

02(A)(8) permits fowl as an accessory use in any Residential District's rear yard, scaled to parcel size: up to six fowl on parcels under one acre, 12 on one to two acres, and 18 on two to three acres, with roosters excluded outright at every tier. Any structure that houses the fowl must sit at least 75 feet from a property line. Larger livestock is governed separately by (A)(11): a private stable is allowed only in the R-40,000 and R-20,000 Districts, on a lot of three acres or more, for one animal unit, with a minimum two-acre fenced area (the acreage minimum does not apply to fowl).

Each additional animal unit, up to five, requires one more fenced acre. For up to five animal units, any structure sheltering, feeding, or caring for livestock must sit 100 feet from adjoining existing residences while still meeting the district's own side and rear yard setbacks. Beyond five animal units the property is treated as an agricultural use and must meet agricultural-use standards instead. Critically, (A)(11)(d) forecloses any administrative adjustment or variance from the minimum acreage or setbacks tied to a private stable, so the county will not shrink the land requirement case by case.