Lower Paxton, PA Animal Ordinances: Chickens & Livestock (2026)

Section 203-313(L) of the Lower Paxton Township zoning chapter sets the chicken program, and § 203-313(M) covers other animals.

Where and how many: chickens are permitted only in the R-1, R-2, R-3, CO, AR, and IN Zoning Districts. No chickens are allowed on lots of less than 1/5 acre. No parcel can hold more than four hens over the age of one month, and the code applies the same four-hen maximum per parcel to two-family, conversion, and multifamily dwellings without individually owned backyards. The keeping of roosters is prohibited.

Permits: no person may own, keep, or harbor chickens in the Township without a permit from the Department of Community Development, applied for in writing with the fee the Board of Supervisors sets by resolution. A separate zoning permit is required to erect, alter, relocate, or expand a coop. A tenant must include written, notarized permission from the property owner with the annual chicken permit application. An applicant with one or more unsatisfied nuisance violations in the prior 24 months is not eligible.

Coops: chickens stay in a coop, run, or fenced area, and are secured in the coop during nondaylight hours. Coops and runs sit 30 feet from any dwelling on an adjacent lot, 15 feet from any property line, and outside the 25-foot required front yard setback. A coop must be solid, vermin and predator-proof, with at least three square feet of area per chicken, a roof, lockable doors, and openings covered with 1/2 inch hardware cloth. Scrap or waste board is prohibited, and the coop must be painted or stained a uniform color.

Care and waste: outdoor slaughtering is prohibited. A written waste storage and removal plan is due with the application, and no more than three cubic feet of manure can be stored, in a fully enclosed container.

Other livestock: cows, sheep, goats, and hogs need a minimum lot area of five acres under § 203-313(M)(8). Horses need two acres for the first plus one acre for each additional, with a stable at least 75 feet from any residential property line under § 203-313(M)(6). Pigeons, ducks, and geese are barred from lots under one acre under § 203-313(M)(4).