Elko County, NV Animal Ordinances: Chickens & Livestock (2026)

Poultry is named in the DOMESTIC ANIMALS definition in § 4-1-9, alongside equine, bovine, ovine, caprine and porcine animals, domestic dogs and cats. In the AR Agricultural-Residential district, paragraph (H) of § 4-2-3 makes the permanent maintenance of not more than a reasonable number of domestic animals, not to include swine, on a lot occupied by a dwelling a permitted accessory use, so long as the keeping is for hobby or family use and is not a full time commercial operation. The paragraph prints no numeric cap on hens or other poultry. Animals other than those designated require Planning Commission approval.

Two physical limits follow. First, no accessory building used as a stable for any animals can be located less than thirty five feet (35') from any dwelling, less than twenty feet (20') from any lot line, or less than sixty feet (60') from any front lot line, any school grounds or any public park or open space. Second, no paddock, shed, corral or barn set off for use by domestic or other animals can occupy any part of a required front yard. The AR district requires a minimum parcel of one acre with an average width of not less than 150 feet.

Swine are treated separately: in AR the keeping and breeding of swine is permitted only for FFA, 4-H and similar children's development groups, with no more than two breeding sows, the most recent litter for each sow, and one boar on a parcel. The OS Open Space district, with a forty acre minimum parcel, lists poultry raising, eggs and hatcheries and animal breeding and raising among its permitted principal uses (§ 4-2-1(A)), provided there is full compliance with the definition of agriculture. This code covers unincorporated Elko County only. Elko, Carlin, Wells and West Wendover keep their own animal rules.