Porter County, IN Animal Ordinances: Chickens & Livestock (2026)
Key Facts
- Hobby farming lot cap
- 40% of lot area
- Governing instrument
- UDO, effective June 15, 2007
- Primary districts
- RR, A1, A2
- Livestock care rule
- General Code Sec. 4-4
- Sanitary/care fine (1st offense)
- $50.00
Summary
Porter County allows backyard poultry and livestock as "hobby farming" under the Unified Development Ordinance, but caps the use at 40% of the lot and bars it from being a primary income source. The Rural Residential (RR) district is expressly established to accommodate hobby farming alongside rural estates.
Hobby Farming: The use of land for purposes, including: dairying, pasturage, apiculture, agriculture, horticulture, floriculture, viticulture, and animal and poultry husbandry. Processing and storage of harvested produce or other end products shall not be allowed on site. The hobby farming use shall not exceed forty percent (40%) of the land area of the lot and shall abide by all setback regulations. Hobby farming cannot be the principal income source for the owner, operator, or household on site. Hobby farming shall not include feed lots, stock yards, or the commercial feeding of garbage or offal to swine or other animals.
Full Breakdown
" Processing or storing harvested animal or crop products on site is likewise prohibited by the same definition. Zoning-wise, the Rural Residential (RR) district is the district the UDO says is "established for rural estates and hobby farming," while the General Agriculture (A1) and Prime Agriculture (A2) districts accommodate larger-scale livestock operations. Separately, the county's Animal Control Ordinance (General Code Ch. 4) defines "domestic livestock" as any animal kept for commercial purposes or belonging to species including "alpaca, bison, elk, cattle, donkey, goat, horse, llama, mule, ostrich, emu, poultry, pig, or rabbit" (Sec.
4-2), and requires every livestock owner to provide clean, sanitary conditions, adequate food, water and shelter, and veterinary care under Sec. 4-4. The UDO carries an effective date of June 15, 2007, so any lot-coverage or setback figures should be verified against current amendments before relying on them for a specific parcel.
Violations & Fines
Exceeding the 40% land-area cap, running hobby farming as a principal income source, or operating a feedlot or stockyard puts the use outside the Hobby Farming definition entirely, exposing the property to a zoning violation enforced by the Plan Commission/Building Department rather than a fine schedule specific to livestock. Separately, failing to keep livestock in clean, sanitary conditions with adequate food, water, and shelter violates General Code Sec. 4-4, which is enforced by county animal control with fines starting at $50 for a first offense, $75 for a second, and $100 for a third and subsequent offense.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I keep chickens on a residential lot in Porter County?
Is there a limit on how much of my property I can use for livestock?
What care standard applies to livestock I keep in Porter County?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Porter County
How Porter County compares: Best Cities for Backyard Chickens·Compare Porter County to another location·View the Indiana animal ordinances overview
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