Janesville, WI Animal Ordinances: Chickens & Livestock (2026)
Key Facts
- Max hens per lot
- 4 female chickens, no roosters
- Coop size
- 3-24 sq ft, min 3 sq ft/chicken
- Run size cap
- 40 sq ft or 1% of rear yard, max 100 sq ft
- Coop setback
- 10 ft from dwelling/lot line, 18 ft from neighbor's structure
- Permit required
- Annual, Building Official/City Clerk-Treasurer
- Repeat-nuisance penalty
- 1-year permit renewal ban after 2 violations in 12 months
Summary
In the City of Janesville, Code § 8-70 bars horses, goats, pigs and most livestock and poultry inside the city unless a residence is 150 feet from the nearest building, but any residential lot with a single-family home can keep up to four hens, no roosters, with a City permit.
No horse, mule, donkey, pony, cow, pig, goat, sheep, or animal raised for fur-bearing purposes, and no dove cote, rabbit warren, or other yard or establishment where small animals or fowl such as ducks, geese, turkeys, pheasants, rabbits, or guinea pigs are kept shall be allowed within the City limits, except in outlying building areas where no house, building, tenement, apartment house, hotel, restaurant, boardinghouse, retail food store, building used for school, religious or hospital purposes, or residence other than that occupied by the owner or occupant of the premises upon which such animals or fowl are kept is less than 150 feet from the outer edge of any barn, coop or enclosure in which said creatures are housed or permitted to run. ... Any person may keep up to four female chickens on any residential zoning lot in the City which contains one single-family residential dwelling unit. ... No roosters shall be allowed to be kept under this section.
Full Breakdown
Section 8-70(a) generally excludes livestock and small-animal or fowl yards from the city unless every nearby house, school, church, hospital or store sits at least 150 feet from the barn, coop or enclosure. Section 8-70(b) carves chickens out of that ban: any lot zoned residential with one single-family dwelling can keep up to four female chickens, no roosters, and slaughtering must happen at a licensed meat-processing facility, never in the city. The coop must sit in the rear yard, be secure against rodents and predators, measure at least three square feet per chicken and no more than 24 square feet total, sit at least ten feet from the dwelling's rear wall and any lot line, and stay at least 18 feet from any principal structure on an adjoining property; an attached run cannot exceed 40 square feet or one percent of the rear yard, whichever is greater, and never more than 100 square feet.
Chickens must be locked in the coop between sunset and sunrise. Keeping chickens requires an annual residential chicken premises permit from the Building Official and City Clerk-Treasurer, plus registration with the Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection under Wis. Stat. § 95.51, and the permit year runs January 1 through December 31.
Violations & Fines
Section 8-81 sets a forfeiture of $30.00 to $500.00 for a first offense, $50.00 to $500.00 for a second, $70.00 to $500.00 for a third, and $100.00 to $500.00 for a fourth or later offense, with up to 60 days' imprisonment if unpaid; the City can also seek injunctive relief or abatement. A property with two or more nuisance enforcement actions in a 12-month period becomes ineligible for permit renewal for one year, and no one else can get a new permit on that lot during that period.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many chickens can I keep at my Janesville home?
Where on my property can I put a chicken coop in Janesville?
Can I keep goats or a pig in Janesville?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Janesville
How Janesville compares: Best Cities for Backyard Chickens·Compare Janesville to another location·View the Wisconsin animal ordinances overview
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