Plumas County zoning (Title 9, Ch. 2) allows backyard chickens in single-family zones 2-R, 3-R, and 7-R under the Backyard Chicken Ordinance (Article 43). A standard parcel may keep up to six hens; parcels twice the minimum lot size up to twelve. Roosters and slaughter are prohibited. Suburban/rural zones (S-1, S-3, R-10, R-20) and Farm zones already allowed chickens.
Backyard poultry in unincorporated Plumas County is governed by Title 9 (Planning and Zoning), Chapter 2 (Zoning). Article 43 (Backyard Chickens) was added by the Board of Supervisors to permit chickens in the 2-R, 3-R, and 7-R single-family residential zones, which previously did not allow them. Under the ordinance, a standard residential single-family parcel may keep up to six chickens; parcels that are twice or more the minimum lot area of the zoning district may keep up to twelve. Chickens are only allowed on properties containing a single-family dwelling with a fenced rear yard, and owners must remove and dispose of animal waste. No roosters are permitted for any reason, including de-crowed roosters, and no on-site slaughter or commercial egg sales are allowed. Article 43 includes coop and run design requirements with setbacks. Separately, suburban and rural zones (S-1, S-3, R-10, R-20) and any residential zone combined with the Farm Animal (F) combining zone have long allowed chickens through small-animal husbandry provisions. The county Environmental Health Director has indicated a permit is required to keep backyard chickens.
Keeping chickens outside an allowed zone, exceeding the six- or twelve-bird limit, or keeping a rooster is a zoning violation enforced by Plumas County Planning and Code Enforcement. Enforcement typically begins with a notice of violation and may escalate to abatement and citation. Slaughter and commercial egg sales on residential parcels are prohibited.
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