Katy, TX Animal Ordinances: Chickens & Livestock (2026)
Key Facts
- Minimum lot to keep fowl
- 1 acre
- Max chickens/fowl
- 25 per acre
- Coop setback
- 100 ft from homes/businesses
- Containment
- Closed pens; no roaming
- Use
- Personal, non-commercial only
Summary
Katy forbids keeping chickens or any fowl on a tract smaller than one acre. On an acre or more, you may keep up to 25 fowl, all confined to closed pens and sited at least 100 feet from any neighboring home or business.
No stable, barn, pen, or other area or shelter where livestock or fowl are kept shall be closer than one hundred feet (100') to any residence or commercial business establishment unless such residence or commercial business establishment is located on the real estate where such stable, barn, [or] pen, is located or the area where livestock or fowl are kept.
Full Breakdown
Katy's Code of Ordinances, Article 2.02 (Livestock and Fowl), bars raising, keeping, or breeding any fowl on a tract smaller than one acre, which rules out standard suburban lots. On a qualifying acre-plus tract the limit is 25 chickens or other fowl, and every bird must stay in closed pens rather than wander the property. No pen, barn, or shelter may sit within 100 feet of any residence or commercial business unless it stands on the keeper's own land; a keeper may waive that distance only with signatures from every landowner within 100 feet. Fowl are for personal, non-commercial use, and Katy Police Department Animal Control enforces the article.
Violations & Fines
Keeping fowl on under one acre, letting birds roam outside a closed pen, or placing a coop within 100 feet of a neighbor's home or business violates Article 2.02 and is enforced by Katy Police Department Animal Control.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I keep backyard chickens on a normal Katy lot?
How many hens can I keep in Katy?
Are roosters allowed?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Katy
How Katy compares: Best Cities for Backyard Chickens·Texas rules heatmap·Compare Katy to another location·View the Texas animal ordinances overview
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Chickens & Livestock in Nearby Cities
How other cities in Fort Bend County handle chickens & livestock.