Whether you can keep chickens or livestock depends on local zoning. In unincorporated towns the Rock County zoning ordinance (Wis. Stat. 59.69) controls; villages like Footville and Orfordville allow up to six hens per dwelling. Cities set their own limits.
Rock County does not set one countywide chicken or livestock rule. Agricultural-zoned land in the unincorporated towns permits farm animals under the county zoning ordinance adopted per Wis. Stat. 59.69, while residential zones restrict them. Several municipalities allow limited backyard hens: the Villages of Footville and Orfordville permit a maximum of six hens per dwelling unit with setback conditions. Roosters and larger livestock are typically barred in residential areas. Wisconsin's right-to-farm law (Wis. Stat. 823.08) protects established agricultural operations from nuisance suits. Always confirm your parcel's zoning district before adding birds or animals.
Keeping prohibited livestock or excess hens in a residential district is a zoning violation; municipalities issue citations and orders to remove the animals.
Other ordinances people look up for this city. Green dot = verified primary-source excerpt.
Rock County, WI
Rock County encourages waste reduction and does not ban backyard composting. Wisconsin bans yard waste from landfills, so composting is favored. Nuisance con...
Rock County, WI
Rock County has no countywide ordinance regulating artificial turf. Whether synthetic grass is allowed, and any coverage or stormwater conditions, is decided...
Rock County, WI
Rock County does not ban native or naturalized landscaping, but the mandatory noxious-weed duty still applies. Near navigable water, native shoreland buffers...
Rock County, WI
Collecting rainwater is legal in Wisconsin and Rock County sets no barrier to rain barrels. There is no state permit for a basic downspout rain barrel used f...
Rock County, WI
Rock County sets no countywide lawn-watering schedule. The state does not require a permit to water a lawn or private garden. Odd/even or drought watering li...
Rock County, WI
Wisconsin law makes destroying noxious weeds mandatory statewide: every landowner must destroy Canada thistle, leafy spurge, field bindweed and other designa...
See how Rock County's chickens & livestock rules stack up against other locations.
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