Murrieta, CA Animal Ordinances: Chickens & Livestock (2026)
Key Facts
- Allowed zones
- RR, ER, SF1
- Small lot limit
- 4 birds, 7,200 sq ft-0.49 acre
- Large lot limit
- 30 birds on 1+ acre
- Roosters
- Prohibited outright
- Coop setback
- 10 feet from side/rear line
Summary
Murrieta permits backyard chickens in the RR, ER, and SF1 zoning districts under Development Code Table 16.44.040-1, scaling the flock size to lot area: four birds on lots from 7,200 square feet up to a half-acre, twelve birds up to one acre, and thirty birds above one acre. Roosters and commercial flocks are banned.
4 7,200 sq. ft. to .49 Chickens RR, ER, SF1 acre 12 .5 to 1 acre 30 >1 acre
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4. Chickens:
a. Chickens shall be contained within an enclosure or coop with an enclosed runway and an area providing protection from weather.
b. Enclosure or coop shall be in the rear or side yard and shall be setback ten feet from the rear and side yard property line.
c. The enclosure or coop shall be maintained in a clean and sanitary condition and free of offensive odors.
d. The slaughtering of any animal is prohibited in any residential zone.
e. Roosters are prohibited.
f. Chickens under the age of 6 months are not counted towards the maximum number of chickens as provided in Table 16.44.040-1.
g. The commercial keeping of chickens in residential zones is prohibited.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: 2026 S-23: A Codification of the General Ordinances of the City of Murrieta, California through Ord. 634-26, passed 7-7-2026).
Full Breakdown
040-1's numeric caps. Every coop must be an enclosure with a covered, enclosed runway that shields the birds from weather, and it has to sit in the rear or side yard set back ten feet from the property line on that side. The coop and runway must stay clean, sanitary, and free of offensive odors at all times, a standard code enforcement checks on nuisance and odor complaints. d. 040-1, so a hatching brood will not immediately push a household over its four-, twelve-, or thirty-bird ceiling.
g also bars keeping chickens commercially in residential zones, meaning egg or bird sales from a residential coop fall outside what this exemption allows. 28 and any Riverside County health rules that apply.
Violations & Fines
A rooster on the property, an unenclosed coop, or a flock over the Table 16.44.040-1 limit for the lot size is enforced under the citywide penalty section, Murrieta Code Section 1.08.050. The first violation is an infraction with a fine up to $100, rising to $200 and then $500 for repeat convictions in the same year, and a third violation of the same rule becomes a misdemeanor carrying up to a $1,000 fine or six months in county jail.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many chickens can I keep in Murrieta?
Are roosters allowed in Murrieta?
Can I sell eggs or chickens from my Murrieta backyard flock?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Murrieta
How Murrieta compares: Best Cities for Backyard Chickens·California rules heatmap·Compare Murrieta to another location·View the California animal ordinances overview
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