Mcallen, TX Animal Ordinances: Chickens & Livestock (2026)
Key Facts
- Bird limit
- Six per acre, all fowl
- Permit
- None required
- Coop setback
- None for poultry
- Roosters
- No ban; crowing is nuisance
- Enforcer
- McAllen Police Department
Summary
McAllen caps poultry and fowl at six birds per acre on any lot, with no permit required. Enclosures must stay sanitary, and any bird whose loud, habitual crowing disturbs neighbors can be declared a nuisance and ordered removed from the city.
(a) Prohibition; exception. It shall be unlawful for any person to keep, harbor, maintain or permit the presence on any lot or parcel of land within the city of any poultry or fowl, except that no more than six such birds per acre are allowed on any lot or parcel of land, provided the requirements and conditions of this section and section 14-8 are complied with. ... (c) ... It shall be unlawful to keep any poultry or fowl in the city which by loud, frequent or habitual crowing or any other noise annoyance from such animal shall disturb the peace and quiet of any person of ordinary sensitivities.
Full Breakdown
Section 14-5 of the McAllen Code of Ordinances allows no more than six poultry or fowl per acre on any lot or parcel: a hard density cap that leaves a standard residential lot room for only one or two birds. The city sets no separate coop-setback for poultry; the 200-foot rule in § 14-4 covers cattle, goats, horses and sheep, not fowl. Enclosures must stay sanitary and free of odors, flies and rodents. There is no outright rooster ban, but the McAllen Police Department can flag any bird whose loud, frequent or habitual crowing disturbs neighbors as a nuisance, and the municipal court may order it removed from the city or impounded at Palm Valley Animal Center.
Violations & Fines
Keeping more than six birds per acre, or letting a bird's loud, frequent or habitual crowing disturb neighbors, draws a fine under section 1-14; defying the court's removal order is a class C misdemeanor.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many chickens can I keep in McAllen?
Are roosters allowed in McAllen?
Do I need a permit for backyard chickens in McAllen?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Mcallen
How Mcallen compares: Best Cities for Backyard Chickens·Texas rules heatmap·Compare Mcallen to another location·View the Texas animal ordinances overview
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