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Neenah, WI Animal Ordinances: Chickens & Livestock (2026)

Significant Restrictions
Compiled from the official code textEditor Martyn O'NeillLast verified August 2026

Key Facts

Max birds
4 chickens/doves/fowl per property
Roosters
Prohibited
Registration
Required with Building Inspector
Setback
25 feet from neighbor's house

Summary

Neenah allows up to four chickens, doves, or other fowl per property with City registration, a ban on roosters, and a required setback from neighboring homes.

No person shall keep or harbor any chickens, doves or other fowl or build, erect or maintain and use any chicken coop or yard, dove cote or other building or yard to keep or house any chickens, doves or other fowl anywhere within the City without registering the name and address of the owner and the approximate number of chickens, doves or other fowl to be kept by such owner at the Office of the Building Inspector. The total number of chickens, doves or other fowl shall not exceed four per premises.

View official code

Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 44).

Full Breakdown

Neenah Municipal Code § 3-3 lets residents keep chickens, doves, or other fowl if they first register the owner's name, address, and approximate bird count with the Office of the Building Inspector. The total is capped at four birds per premises, roosters are banned outright, and slaughtering is prohibited. Coops must sit on single-family lots, provide a covered or fenced enclosure, stay clean and odor-free, and be set back at least 25 feet from any residential structure on an adjacent lot, with the enclosure itself capped at 25 square feet unless approved as an accessory building. The rule dates to Ord. No. 2017-05A, § 1, adopted March 15, 2017.

Violations & Fines

Keeping unregistered fowl, exceeding four birds, keeping a rooster, or violating the setback and enclosure rules can draw a citation and subject the coop to correction under the Building Inspector's enforcement authority.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I need a permit to keep chickens in Neenah?
You must register your name, address, and bird count with the Building Inspector before keeping chickens: it's a registration, not a discretionary permit, per Sec. 3-3(a).
Can I keep a rooster in Neenah?
No. Sec. 3-3(c)(2) bans roosters outright, and slaughtering chickens on the property is also prohibited.

Sources & Official References

Other rules in Neenah

Dog Leash LawsSome RestrictionsParking Rules: RV & Boat ParkingSome RestrictionsPet LimitsSome RestrictionsExotic PetsHeavy RestrictionsPet Store RulesSome RestrictionsMandatory Spay/NeuterSome RestrictionsBeekeepingSome RestrictionsBreed RestrictionsSignificant RestrictionsWildlife FeedingHeavy RestrictionsNoise Ordinances: Vehicle NoiseSome RestrictionsParking Rules: Commercial & Oversized VehiclesSignificant RestrictionsParking Rules: Driveway RulesSome RestrictionsParking Rules: Loading ZonesSome RestrictionsFence Regulations: Material RestrictionsSome Restrictions

All Neenah rules

How Neenah compares: Best Cities for Backyard Chickens·Compare Neenah to another location·View the Wisconsin animal ordinances overview

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