Fullerton, CA Animal Ordinances: Chickens & Livestock (2026)
Key Facts
- Minimum lot for any poultry
- 7,000 sq ft
- Base poultry allowance
- 4 birds, 80 sq ft fenced run
- Roosters/peacocks
- Prohibited in all residential zones
- Nighttime distance
- 30 ft from dwellings, 10pm-7am
- Livestock lot minimum
- 3/4 acre for 2 adult animals
- Pig/goat/horse weight cap
- 250 lb (100 lb pygmy goat)
Summary
Poultry is banned outright on residential lots under 7,000 square feet and in every duplex, apartment, condominium or mobile home, while larger lots may keep up to four birds with 80 square feet of fenced outdoor exercise space, and roosters and peacocks are barred from every residential zone regardless of lot size, under Fullerton Municipal Code section 15.17.030(K).
(a) Generally. Roosters and peacocks shall not be permitted in any residential zone. (b) Lots of less than 7,000 square feet. Poultry is not permitted. (c) Lots of 7,000 square feet or more (excluding duplexes, apartments, condominiums or mobile homes). Four animals may be kept on a lot containing not less than 80 square feet of fenced outdoor exercise space to be used by the animal on the property. One additional animal may be kept for each additional 100 square feet of space; however, no more than four animals may be allowed without approval of a conditional use permit.
Full Breakdown
030(K) treats poultry as a non-traditional domestic animal with its own lot-size ladder. Lots under 7,000 square feet cannot keep poultry at all, and neither can any duplex, apartment, condominium or mobile home unit. On a lot of 7,000 square feet or more, four birds are allowed if the property provides at least 80 square feet of fenced outdoor exercise space, with one additional bird permitted for each extra 100 square feet of that space; going past four birds needs a conditional use permit regardless of how much room is available.
poultry must be kept or caged at least 30 feet from any habitable dwelling other than the keeper's own. The same subsection extends a parallel scheme to miniature pigs, pygmy goats and miniature horses: none are allowed on lots of 20,000 square feet or less, but a 20,000-square-foot-plus lot can keep two pygmy goats or miniature horses, or one miniature pig, with additional animals tied to extra exercise space, up to a three-animal cap before a conditional use permit is required. Those animals are weight-capped at 250 pounds for pigs and horses and 100 pounds for pygmy goats, need a yearly veterinary exam and vaccination certificate, and miniature pigs specifically require a veterinarian's sterilization certificate.
030(L) separately governs true livestock, bovine, equine, sheep, goats and llamas, permitting two adult animals on an R-1 lot of at least three-quarters of an acre, behind a fence built to withstand livestock, and keeping every animal at least 50 feet from a neighboring habitable dwelling.
Violations & Fines
Keeping poultry on a lot under 7,000 square feet, keeping a rooster or peacock in any residential zone, or exceeding the four-bird or per-animal cap without a conditional use permit is a zoning violation that code enforcement and County Animal Control can address with a citation, an order to remove the excess or prohibited animals, or a nuisance abatement action when odor or noise complaints are involved. Livestock kept without an adequate containment fence or inside the required 50-foot dwelling buffer faces the same enforcement path.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I keep chickens in my backyard in Fullerton?
Are roosters allowed anywhere in the city?
How much land do I need to keep a goat or a horse?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Fullerton
How Fullerton compares: Best Cities for Backyard Chickens·California rules heatmap·Compare Fullerton to another location·View the California animal ordinances overview
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