Kendall County, IL Animal Ordinances: Chickens & Livestock (2026)
Key Facts
- Under 1 acre
- no farm animals except chickens
- Chickens, 1 acre or less
- up to 6
- Chickens, 1-5 acres
- up to 12
- 5+ acres
- animal-unit table, 2/3 unit per acre
- 3+ horses
- manure management plan required
Summary
In R-1 unincorporated Kendall County, lots under an acre keep no farm-type animals except chickens; up to 6 chickens are allowed on lots an acre or smaller, and 12 on lots one to five acres, with horses, goats and other stock scaled by acreage.
(11)Farm-type animals shall be permitted in accordance with the following:a.On lots less than one (1) acre, no farm-type animals shall be permitted, except as outlined in this section.b.On lots at least one (1) acre but less than three (3) acres in size, a maximum of one (1) horse and a maximum combined total of five (5) ducks, rabbits, chickens, or goats, with the following exception: The number of horses permitted on lots less than three (3) acres in size created prior to October 17, 2000, shall be determined in accordance with the methodology as in Subsection (11)e of this section.c.On lots three acres or more in size, one (1) horse per acre shall be permitted ... In addition, for lots over three (3) acres but less than five (5) acres, a maximum combined total of ten (10) ducks, rabbits, chickens, or goats is allowed. ... d.Lots at least one (1) acre in size but less than five (5) acres shall be permitted to keep up to twelve (12) chickens. Lots one (1) acre in size or smaller may keep up to six (6) chickens, provided the conditions contained in Section 36-465 are met.
Full Breakdown
Kendall County Code Section 36-328(11) sets a sliding scale for farm-type animals as a permitted use in the R-1 One-Family Residential District. Lots under one acre may keep no farm-type animals except as separately outlined for chickens. Lots between one and three acres may keep one horse plus a combined total of five ducks, rabbits, chickens or goats, though a horse-count exception applies to lots under three acres created before October 17, 2000. Lots of three acres or more may keep one horse per acre, provided 21,780 square feet of contiguous pasture is dedicated per horse, and any lot with more than three horses must file a manure management plan with PBZ staff; lots over three but under five acres may also keep a combined total of ten ducks, rabbits, chickens or goats.
Chickens get their own carve-out: a lot one acre or smaller may keep up to six chickens, and a lot at least one acre but under five acres may keep up to twelve, so long as the conditions in Section 36-465 are met. 66.
Violations & Fines
Keeping farm-type animals beyond the lot-size limits or animal-unit cap in Section 36-328(11) is a zoning code violation subject to the general penalty in Kendall County Code Section 36-3, enforced by the Planning, Building and Zoning Department; a manure management plan is required whenever more than three horses are kept on a parcel.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many chickens can I keep on an unincorporated Kendall County lot?
Can I keep a horse on a one-acre lot in unincorporated Kendall County?
What triggers the animal-unit table for livestock?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Kendall County
How Kendall County compares: Best Cities for Backyard Chickens·Compare Kendall County to another location·View the Illinois animal ordinances overview
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