Cherokee County, GA Animal Ordinances: Chickens & Livestock (2026)
Key Facts
- Livestock definition
- Code § 10-26 includes fowl, rabbits
- Keeping rule
- Code of Ordinances § 10-38
- Enclosure duty
- Fenced, escape-proof enclosure required
- Public right-of-way
- Tying/staking there is unlawful
- Impound hold
- 5 days before disposition
- Commercial poultry zoning
- Zoning Ordinance Table 7.7-24b
Summary
Cherokee County's livestock rule, Code of Ordinances § 10-38, applies to chickens and other fowl too: the chapter's definition in § 10-26 expressly includes fowl and rabbits within "livestock." All livestock must be properly housed, fed, watered, and confined in an enclosure the animal cannot escape.
Livestock means and includes horses, cows, goats, pigs, or any other hoofed animal used for pleasure or profit. Fowl and rabbits are expressly included within this definition. ... All livestock shall be properly housed with adequate food and adequate water and confined within a fenced enclosure. The fenced enclosure shall be maintained in such a manner as to keep any average livestock animal from escaping the enclosed compound and causing damage, accidents, or injury to any person or property. Owners of such livestock shall be liable for any damage, accidents, or injuries.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 39 | Zoning: Supplement 35).
Full Breakdown
" That makes section 10-38, titled Livestock, the operative rule for backyard chickens as well as larger animals. Section 10-38(a) requires all livestock to be properly housed with adequate food and water and confined within a fenced enclosure maintained so that an average animal cannot escape and cause damage, accidents, or injury to any person or property; owners are liable for any resulting damage, and anyone who boards or pastures livestock for hire bears the same enclosure-maintenance duty. Section 10-38(b) bars tying, staking, or fastening livestock within any street, highway, road, alley, sidewalk, right-of-way, or other public place, or in a manner that gives the animal access to one.
Impounded livestock is charged the actual costs of impoundment plus boarding fees, and unclaimed animals may be given away by the marshal's office after a five-day hold under section 10-38(d). 7-24b, distinct from the keeping rules in section 10-38 that apply chapter-wide across unincorporated Cherokee County.
Violations & Fines
Owners of livestock, including fowl, that escapes an enclosure are liable for resulting damage, accidents, or injuries under section 10-38(a). Violations of the chapter carry the section 10-27 penalty: a fine of up to $1,000.00 and up to six months in the county jail, with each day of a continuing violation charged as a separate offense, plus the court's authority to order removal, surrender, or euthanization of the animal.
Frequently Asked Questions
Are backyard chickens regulated as "livestock" in Cherokee County?
What enclosure does the county require for livestock or chickens?
Can I tie a goat or chicken coop run along the roadside easement?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Cherokee County
How Cherokee County compares: Best Cities for Backyard Chickens·Compare Cherokee County to another location·View the Georgia animal ordinances overview
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