Jackson County, GA Animal Ordinances: Chickens & Livestock (2026)
Key Facts
- Permitted districts
- PCFD and A-2 only
- Prohibited in
- R-1, R-2, R-3, AR, and all others
- Minimum land
- 1.5 acres to keep poultry/livestock
- Residence setback
- 150 feet for boarding/breeding structures
- State license
- Required from GA Commissioner of Agriculture
Summary
Unincorporated Jackson County allows poultry and egg production only in the PCFD Planned Commercial Farm District and the A-2 Agricultural Rural Farm District, per the UDC's zoning use table; it is prohibited in every residential district, including R-1, R-2, and AR. UDC Sec. 3-021 further requires at least one and one-half acres of land to keep poultry, livestock, or similar animals.
P = Permitted S = Special Use X = Prohibited See Also ... Sec. 3-006 PCFD A-1 A-2 A-3 AR R-1 R-2 R-3 MH NRC CRC HRC LI GI HI ... Animal production: poultry and egg 3-021 P X P X X X X X X X X X X X X ... (b)Minimum area. The keeping of non-domestic animals such as horses, livestock, dairy, poultry, pigs, goats, or sheep, shall require at least one and one-half acres of land.
Full Breakdown
The Unified Development Code's Table 2-1, Use Regulations for Zoning Districts, lists 'Animal production: poultry and egg' with a cross-reference to Sec. 3-021, and marks it 'P' (permitted) only in the PCFD Planned Commercial Farm District and the A-2 Agricultural Rural Farm District. Every other district on the table, including A-1, A-3, AR, R-1, R-2, R-3, MH, NRC, CRC, HRC, LI, GI, and HI, is marked 'X,' meaning poultry and egg production is prohibited there outright, so it is not an allowed accessory use in the county's standard AR or R-1 residential subdivisions.
UDC Sec. 3-021, 'Boarding or breeding of animals,' sets the underlying standards for the districts where it is permitted: keeping non-domestic animals such as horses, livestock, dairy, poultry, pigs, goats, or sheep requires at least one and one-half acres of land, and any use, structure, or building for boarding such animals for more than 12 hours, or for breeding them, must sit at least 150 feet from any existing residence other than one on the same site. A. Sec. 4-11-14.
Violations & Fines
Keeping poultry, hogs, goats, sheep, or other livestock in a district not marked 'P' on Table 2-1, such as R-1, R-2, or AR, violates the UDC's use table and can be cited by Public Development as an unpermitted use. Even in PCFD or A-2, operating without the one-and-one-half-acre minimum lot, without the 150-foot residence setback, or without a required state agriculture license under Sec. 3-021 is a separate UDC violation subject to code enforcement action.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I keep backyard chickens on my AR-zoned lot?
How much land do I need to raise chickens in Jackson County?
How far from my neighbor's house must a chicken coop sit?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Jackson County
How Jackson County compares: Best Cities for Backyard Chickens·Compare Jackson County to another location·View the Georgia animal ordinances overview
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