Colorado Springs, CO Animal Ordinances: Chickens & Livestock (2026)
Key Facts
- Manure removal
- at least every 10 days (§6.9.101.C)
- Inspection authority
- City or County, any reasonable hour
- Numeric cap
- set by City Zoning Code (§6.9.102.B)
- Nuisance declaration
- noncompliant premises (§6.9.101.B)
- Temp exception
- packinghouse/slaughterhouse livestock ≤72 hrs
- Variance path
- nonuse variance under §6.9.105
Summary
Colorado Springs regulates livestock kept on premises through City Code §§ 6.9.101–6.9.103: hoofed animals must be kept in sanitary, non-nuisance conditions subject to City or County inspection, manure must be removed at least every ten days, and the animals may only be kept where the City's Zoning Code allows and within its numeric limits.
A. Premises within the City upon which hoofed animals are kept shall be maintained in a condition which is not foul, dangerous or detrimental to public health, or a breeding ground for rodents, animals or insects capable of transmitting disease to humans. The premises shall be subject to inspection at all reasonable hours by representatives of the County or City. B. Conditions upon any premises not in compliance with this requirement are hereby declared to be a public nuisance, if so finally determined in each case by the County or City, and the conditions may be abated in the manner provided by City Code or in any other manner as may be provided by law.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: 2026 S-21: Code current through: Ord. 26-23, passed June 9, 2026).
Full Breakdown
101 requires any premises in Colorado Springs where hoofed animals, horses, goats, sheep, cattle and similar livestock, are kept to stay free of foul or dangerous conditions and of breeding grounds for disease-carrying rodents or insects, and the property is subject to inspection at reasonable hours by City or County representatives; a noncompliant property is declared a public nuisance once the City or County makes that finding, and the condition can be abated under the Code or any other legal method. Subsection C requires manure, excrement, straw, hay, shavings, grass, weeds or leaf bedding to be stored as far from any dwelling or natural watercourse as reasonably possible and removed at least once every ten days to an appropriate disposal site, a rule that does not apply to manure spread as fertilizer on cultivated ground unless the property is otherwise out of compliance. Subsection D requires adequate drinking facilities with overflow drainage. 2. 105 allows a nonuse variance from these requirements under the Zoning Code's variance procedure.
Violations & Fines
Keeping hoofed animals in violation of the sanitary or zoning requirements is unlawful under § 6.9.103 and, absent a more specific penalty, punishable under the Code's general penalty § 1.1.201: up to a $2,500 fine, 189 days in jail, probation, or a combination. A noncompliant property can also be declared a public nuisance by the City or County and ordered abated under § 6.9.101.B.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I keep horses or goats in Colorado Springs?
How often must I clean up manure from livestock?
Who inspects properties with livestock?
Is there an exception for temporary livestock at a business?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Colorado Springs
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