Moore County, NC Animal Ordinances: Chickens & Livestock (2026)
Key Facts
- Fowl tethering
- Banned, except for hunting-dog training use
- Baby fowl sale ban
- Under 8 weeks old sold as pets/novelties
- Dyeing ban
- Baby chickens, fowl, rabbits may not be colored
- Equine shelter size
- 150 square feet per horse minimum
- Chick-sale penalty
- Class 3 misdemeanor under G.S. 14-363
Summary
Moore County bans tethering fowl, selling baby chicks or ducklings under eight weeks old as pets, and dyeing baby chickens or rabbits, while setting shelter and feed standards for equine kept in unincorporated Moore County. Enforcement runs through the county's animal cruelty and care ordinance rather than a separate livestock chapter.
Outdoor shelters shall have a minimum of three sides and a waterproof roof sufficient to allow two feet of clearance from the animal's head in an erect position. Space requirements are 150 square feet per horse. ... (m)It shall be unlawful for any person to tether any fowl. Fowl used in the training or demonstration of hunting dogs are exempt from this provision.(n)If any person, firm or corporation shall sell, or offer for sale, barter or give away as premiums living baby chicks, ducklings, or other fowl or rabbits under eight weeks of age as pets or novelties, such person, firm or corporation shall be guilty of a Class 3 misdemeanor, pursuant to G.S. 14-363. ... (o)It shall be unlawful to color, dye, stain or otherwise change the natural color of baby chickens, other fowl or rabbits.
Full Breakdown
Section 4-3 of the Moore County Code, the county's animal cruelty and care standards, reaches beyond dogs and cats into fowl and livestock kept in unincorporated Moore County. Subsection (h) sets equine housing rules: horses in normal health may live on pasture if natural shelter is adequate, but a debilitated animal needs a man-made shelter with at least three sides and a waterproof roof giving two feet of head clearance, sized at 150 square feet per horse with sufficient drainage to keep the animal's feet dry.
Equine must have unlimited clean water and enough hay, grain, pasture or feed to hold normal body weight, plus regular hoof care, deworming, and at minimum a rabies vaccination. Subsection (m) bars tethering any fowl, with an exemption for fowl used to train or demonstrate hunting dogs. S. 14-363 to sell, barter, or give away as a premium a living baby chick, duckling, other fowl, or rabbit under eight weeks old as a pet or novelty; the ban does not reach nondomesticated fowl sold by hatcheries or stores for purposes other than pets. Subsection (o) separately bars dyeing, coloring, or staining baby chickens, other fowl, or rabbits. 00.
Violations & Fines
Tethering fowl, selling underage baby fowl or rabbits as pets, or dyeing baby chickens violates Moore County Code § 4-3(m)-(o); the chick-sale ban is a Class 3 misdemeanor under G.S. 14-363. All Section 4-3 violations also draw the Chapter 4 general penalty in § 4-10: civil fines from the county fee schedule, due within 72 hours, rising to a $1,000.00 cap.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I keep chickens tethered in my yard in Moore County?
Can a feed store sell me baby chicks as an Easter gift?
What shelter does Moore County require for a horse?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Moore County
How Moore County compares: Best Cities for Backyard Chickens·Compare Moore County to another location·View the North Carolina animal ordinances overview
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