Kern County, CA Animal Ordinances: Chickens & Livestock (2026)
Combined rules for keeping chickens and other livestock such as goats, rabbits, and ducks on residential property, including lot size requirements.
Research in progress
We are currently verifying Kern County's specific local ordinance for chickens & livestock. In the meantime,California state law generally applies, and below you'll find guidance for finding the official rules and links to related Kern County ordinances we've already verified.
California State Law Context
California state law provides the baseline framework for chickens & livestock across all municipalities in the state. Individual cities like Kern County may adopt additional local rules on top of state requirements, which is what makes checking your specific city ordinance important. For Kern County residents, the safest approach is to follow state law as a baseline and contact City Hall for any additional local requirements.
You can browse all California animal ordinances to see how cities across the state regulate this topic.
How to find official Kern County Chickens & Livestock rules
- Search for "Kern County CA municipal code" to find your city's online code portal (Municode, eCode360, or American Legal Publishing are the most common).
- Look for chapters covering animal ordinances, zoning, nuisance, or property maintenance — that's where most chickens & livestock rules live.
- Contact Kern County City Hall's code enforcement, planning, or community development department for clarification.
- Check with your HOA if applicable — many HOAs have stricter rules than the city itself.
Other animal ordinances verified for Kern County
We've verified the following animal ordinances for Kern County: