El Dorado County, CA Animal Ordinances: Chickens & Livestock (2026)

El Dorado County's approach to backyard chickens and livestock is broadly permissive in unincorporated areas. Title 130 (Zoning) is the controlling authority. The R1A (One-Acre Residential) zone considers low-intensity commercial agricultural pursuits, including the raising and grazing of domestic farm animals, as compatible with the zone. The R3A (Three-Acre Residential) zone similarly considers agricultural structures and low-intensity commercial agricultural pursuits compatible. Smaller residential zones (RE - Residential Estate, R10 - 10,000-square-foot Residential, R20 - 20,000-square-foot Residential) generally allow domestic poultry and small livestock subject to setbacks for coops and accessory agricultural structures. Title 130 sets coop and accessory structure setbacks based on zoning district, typically requiring coops and pens to be located behind the front building line and set back from side and rear property lines. There is no countywide cap on the number of chickens for typical unincorporated residential lots, but Title 6 (Animals) nuisance and animal-control rules and Title 8 (Public Health and Safety) sanitation rules still apply: keeping more poultry than can be sanitarily maintained, allowing odor or fly nuisance, or operating a commercial-scale facility without proper zoning can trigger code enforcement. Roosters are not banned countywide in unincorporated areas, but crowing roosters in dense residential clusters can be cited as a Title 6 noise nuisance. Larger livestock (horses, cattle, goats, sheep, llamas) are allowed in R1A, R3A, RA (Agricultural Residential), and AE (Exclusive Agricultural) zones with stocking densities set by Title 130 - typically expressed as a maximum number of animal units per acre. The incorporated City of Placerville prohibits backyard chickens except in limited cases, and the El Dorado Hills and Cameron Park HOA-governed areas commonly prohibit poultry and livestock under CC&Rs. Tahoe Basin parcels may be subject to TRPA scenic and environmental standards that affect accessory agricultural structures.