Fulton County, GA Animal Ordinances: Chickens & Livestock (2026)
Key Facts
- Fowl headcount cap
- 75 per premises
- Fowl coop setback
- 25 ft from neighbor's occupied building
- Fowl enclosure area
- 4 sq ft per bird minimum
- Hog setback
- 900 ft from occupied building
- Ag-zoned land
- Exempt from these limits
- Enforcement
- Fulton County Animal Control, § 34-200
Summary
Keeping chickens or other livestock on residential property in unincorporated Fulton County comes with hard numeric limits: Code § 34-210(b) caps most households at 75 chickens, turkeys, geese, ducks or pigeons, requires coops to sit at least 25 feet from any occupied building besides the owner's own home, and gives each bird a minimum four square feet of enclosure space.
(2)A domestic animal or livestock shall be kept at the following minimum distances from any occupied building except the dwelling unit of the owner (exceptions: licensed veterinary hospitals, commercial kennels, grooming parlors and public or commercial horse facilities): Horses, mules, asses, cows, sheep or goats 150; Hogs 900; Dogs (three or more) 25; Rabbits, guinea pigs, hamsters 25; Chickens, turkeys, geese, ducks, pigeons, or similar fowl 25.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 57).
Full Breakdown
Section 34-210, titled 'Nuisances,' is the operative animal-keeping standard for chickens, turkeys, geese, ducks, pigeons and other fowl, plus horses, cows, hogs, sheep, goats, rabbits, guinea pigs, hamsters and dogs, everywhere in unincorporated Fulton County outside land zoned for agriculture. Under § 34-210(b)(1), any housing or enclosure for a domestic animal or livestock must be well-drained, kept free of accumulated excrement and objectionable odors, and disposed of in a county-approved manner. Subsection (b)(2)'s distance table sets the minimum setback from any occupied building other than the owner's own dwelling: 150 feet for horses, mules, asses, cows, sheep or goats; 900 feet for hogs; and 25 feet for three or more dogs and for chickens, turkeys, geese, ducks, pigeons or similar fowl, as well as rabbits, guinea pigs and hamsters.
Subsection (b)(3) sets a minimum enclosure area per animal: four square feet for fowl and for rabbits, guinea pigs and hamsters, 100 square feet for dogs, and 150 square feet for horses, cows, hogs, sheep or goats. Subsection (b)(4) caps the total headcount per premises: no more than 75 chickens, turkeys, geese, ducks, pigeons or similar fowl; ten dogs or cats; ten hogs; ten sheep or goats; five horses, mules, asses or cows; and 75 rabbits, guinea pigs or hamsters. None of these distance, area or headcount limits apply on land zoned for agriculture, or to licensed veterinary hospitals, commercial kennels, grooming parlors, or public and commercial horse facilities.
Violations & Fines
A property that violates the sanitation, distance, enclosure-area or headcount limits in § 34-210(b) can be charged as a public nuisance animal violation under § 34-210(a), enforced by Fulton County Animal Control through impoundment and citation under § 34-200. A conviction is a misdemeanor under § 34-197, punishable by fine, imprisonment or both, escalating to at least $250.00 for a second public-nuisance conviction and at least $500.00 for a third.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many backyard chickens can I keep in unincorporated Fulton County?
How far does my coop have to be from my neighbor's house?
Is there a minimum coop size per bird?
What if my chicken coop violates the sanitation rule?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Fulton County
How Fulton County compares: Best Cities for Backyard Chickens·Compare Fulton County to another location·View the Georgia animal ordinances overview
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