Escondido, CA Animal Ordinances: Chickens & Livestock (2026)
Key Facts
- Chickens/ducks, R-A & R-E
- 25 birds maximum
- Chickens/ducks, R-1
- 6 birds maximum
- Large livestock (R-A/R-E)
- 1 animal per acre
- Roosters, R-A
- 1 to 2 maximum
- Offspring exception
- Up to 4 months, uncounted
- Lot-split properties
- Half the normal allowance
Summary
Escondido lets R-A and R-E property owners keep up to 25 chickens, ducks or other domesticated fowl raised for meat or eggs, dropping to just six birds in R-1, under Table 33-95a. Cattle, sheep, goats and other large livestock are capped at one animal per acre in R-A and R-E, and aren't a listed use in R-1 or the smaller residential zones.
(b) The permitted types and quantities of animals allowed in residential zones is listed in Table 33-95a... (3) No more than the quantities of animals specifically listed in Table 33-95(a) or section 33-1116 shall be kept on any premises, except that offspring may be kept onsite for up to four months from birth. ... Chickens (hens only), ducks, etc. raised for meat and/or egg production 25 25 6 ... Bovine and large animals: Domesticated cattle, sheep, goats, llamas, swine raised for meat, fleece, and/or milk production. Quantity indicates the total number of large animals per acre 1 1
Full Breakdown
Table 33-95a, referenced by Section 33-95(b), sets exact head counts for backyard fowl and livestock by zone. Chickens (hens only), ducks and similar birds raised for meat or eggs are capped at 25 total in the R-A and R-E zones and just 6 in R-1; none are listed for R-T or the multifamily R-2 through R-5 zones. Turkeys, peafowl and emus are limited to 2 in R-A and 2 to 3 in R-E, and roosters specifically are capped at 1 to 2 in R-A and 1 with a conditional use permit in R-E. "Bovine and large animals: Domesticated cattle, sheep, goats, llamas, swine raised for meat, fleece, and/or milk production" are limited to 1 animal per acre in R-A and R-E, per the table's per-acre quantity note, and aren't a listed use in any other residential zone. Table 33-94 separately lists "Livestock (on sites exceeding nine acres)" as requiring a conditional use permit, layering CUP review on top of the per-acre cap for larger operations.
Section 33-95(b)(3) caps every animal category at the Table 33-95a number, with one exception: offspring may be kept on-site for up to four months from birth without counting against the limit. Section 33-95(b)(4) cuts the allowance in half on parcels that have been divided under Section 33-116 (urban lot splits), and Section 33-95(b)(1)-(2) requires that no animal keeping become a nuisance and that owners comply with the animal-control and humane-treatment standards in Chapter 4 of the Municipal Code.
Violations & Fines
Exceeding the Table 33-95a headcounts, keeping chickens or livestock in a zone where they're not listed, or running a livestock operation on land under nine acres without the required conditional use permit violates Chapter 33. Escondido code enforcement can issue an administrative citation, and Section 1-13 makes a code violation a misdemeanor punishable by up to a $1,000 fine and six months in jail, or an infraction with escalating fines up to $500 under Section 1-17.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many chickens can I keep in Escondido?
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Sources & Official References
Other rules in Escondido
How Escondido compares: Best Cities for Backyard Chickens·California rules heatmap·Compare Escondido to another location·View the California animal ordinances overview
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