Putnam County, FL Animal Ordinances: Chickens & Livestock (2026)
Key Facts
- Chicken flock cap (R-1/R-2/RE)
- 20 chickens per acre
- Roosters
- prohibited in flock rule
- Coop size limit
- 150 sq ft, 6 ft height max
- AG/AE poultry density
- 40 birds per acre, 1 rooster
- Livestock setback from line
- 10 feet minimum
- Shelter setback from neighbor's home
- 100 feet
Summary
Unincorporated Putnam County allows limited backyard chicken flocks in R-1, R-2 and RE districts on lots with a single-family home, capped at 20 hens per acre with no roosters, plus fuller livestock keeping on agricultural lots under Sec. 45-185.
Sec. 45-185. - Livestock, residential. ... (b)Supplemental regulations.(1)The residential livestock shall be kept in a fenced enclosure maintained to restrict the animals from being closer than ten feet to a property line.(2)If a place of shelter is provided it must be 100 feet or more from a residence of different ownership.(3)The following minimum area requirements shall be maintained:a.One horse or other equine per acre.b.One cow or other cattle per acre.c.Six goats or sheep per acre.d.Forty chickens or other poultry per acre in AG and AE zoning districts, but only one rooster (male). ... (e)[Chicken flocks.] Limited residential chicken flocks shall be allowed in R-1, R-2 and RE zoning districts provided:(1)The parcel must have an occupied single family residence on site. ... (3)A flock shall be no more than 20 chickens per acre.(4)Roosters and any other species of fowl other than chickens shall be prohibited. ... (8)The flock shall be confined to a coop not exceeding 150 square feet in area during nighttime hours, the coop shall be placed in accordance with the applicable building setbacks and no part of the coop shall exceed a height of six feet.
Full Breakdown
Putnam County Code Sec. 45-185 separates two tracks. On AG or AE lots of five acres or less, residential livestock (equines, cattle, swine, fowl, goats) must be fenced at least ten feet from any property line, with any shelter set back 100 feet from a neighboring residence. Density caps are one horse or cow per acre, six goats or sheep per acre, and 40 chickens or other poultry per acre with only one rooster allowed; swine require a special use permit as an intensive agricultural operation except for a single 4H/FFA fair pig, which must leave within 30 days of the fair's end.
Subsection (c) separately allows one horse in the R-2 or RE districts by special use permit on a parcel of at least five acres, capped at one horse per three acres. Subsection (e), the chicken-flock rule most residential owners use, allows up to 20 chickens per acre in R-1, R-2 and RE districts on a lot with an occupied single-family home; roosters and other fowl are prohibited, the flock is for personal use only (no commercial egg or chicken sales), the coop cannot exceed 150 square feet or six feet in height and must meet the applicable building setback, feed must be secured against vermin, and one wing's flight feathers must be clipped regularly to keep birds from flying off the parcel.
Violations & Fines
Keeping livestock or a chicken flock beyond these density, setback or confinement limits, or keeping a rooster in a residential district, is a code enforcement violation heard by the county's Special Magistrate. A general penalty under Sec. 1-6 of the code applies: a fine up to $500.00, up to 60 days in jail, or both, with each day of a continuing violation charged separately.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many chickens can I keep in a Putnam County residential district?
Can I keep a rooster in unincorporated Putnam County?
Do I need a permit to keep a horse on a smaller residential lot?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Putnam County
How Putnam County compares: Best Cities for Backyard Chickens·Florida rules heatmap·Compare Putnam County to another location·View the Florida animal ordinances overview
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