Littleton, CO Animal Ordinances: Chickens & Livestock (2026)

The City Code caps backyard poultry at a maximum of six chickens or six ducks, or any combination of the two not exceeding six birds total, and only in the city's ACR, LLR, MLR and SLR residential zoning districts. Every flock needs a covered, predator-resistant chicken house that is properly ventilated and easy to access, clean and maintain, sized for at least two square feet of floor space per bird, with an attached outdoor enclosure providing a minimum of 10 square feet per bird. Both the chicken house and the outdoor enclosure must be set back at least 15 feet from any abutting property line, which is a stricter buffer than the five-foot setback the same chapter sets for beekeeping hives.

Roosters are banned in every district, without exception, so a flock that turns out to include a rooster is out of compliance regardless of lot size. Hens themselves are protected from being killed by the owner or keeper except under a lawful order of a state, county, or city official, for veterinarian-supervised euthanasia, or when surrendered to the Humane Society, or as otherwise permitted by law. Keepers also carry an ongoing nuisance duty: odor, dust, waste and drainage from the coop must be controlled so they do not become a nuisance, safety hazard, or health problem for adjoining properties.

This provision sits inside the Unified Land Use Code's accessory-use standards, alongside separate rules for beekeeping (up to eight hives on a full acre, or unlimited if kept 200 feet from all property lines) and pigeon keeping (up to 100 birds, club membership required to fly them), so a property that wants multiple types of backyard animal husbandry has to satisfy each set of standards independently.