Town of Colonie Code Chapter 79, Article III (Confinement of Livestock) allows up to six hens for noncommercial use in single-family residential districts. Roosters are prohibited, and swine are barred except on premises actively used for swine at the article's adoption.
Chapter 79 Article III is the operative livestock provision. In a single-family residential district, no more than six chickens may be kept on a parcel, and only for noncommercial purposes; roosters are expressly prohibited because of crowing-related nuisance. Birds must be kept inside a coop or fully enclosed run at all times. Coops and runs are each capped at 20 square feet and 48 inches in height, and may not be placed in any front or side yard or within 15 feet of a property line. Any odor associated with chicken-keeping cannot cross the property line, and chicken waste may not be composted or mulched on site, which forces off-site disposal. Article II of the same chapter bars new swine entirely, grandfathering only premises in active swine use at adoption. Larger livestock (horses, goats, cattle) fall to Chapter 190 Zoning and Land Use, where they are permitted only in agricultural and certain rural-residential districts subject to acreage and setback rules.
Town of Colonie Building Department and Animal Control enforce. Notice of violation, civil penalties under Chapter 79 and Chapter 190, and order to remove illegal coops, runs, or excess birds. Continuing violations accrue per-day fines and may be enjoined in Albany County Supreme Court.
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