Unincorporated Nevada County allows backyard chickens in RA and R1 zoning on lots under 0.5 acre, scaled by lot size: 4 hens at 6,000 sq ft, 8 at 10,000 sq ft, 14 at 20,000 sq ft. Roosters, guinea hens, and loud exotic varieties are excluded. Coops need 10-ft property-line and 30-ft residence setbacks.
Under the Land Use and Development Code's Backyard Chicken Keeping provisions (Sec. 12.03.041), Nevada County permits domestic chickens in the single-family residential (R1) district and on residential agricultural (RA) parcels under 0.5 acre. A 'backyard chicken' is defined as a domestic chick or hen and expressly does not include roosters, guinea hens, or loud exotic varieties. Chickens are allowed only on properties with a single-family dwelling and a fenced rear yard, and both the birds and their eggs are for domestic purposes only, with no commercial sales at the property. The maximum number scales with lot size under Table 12.03.041.A: 4 chickens at a minimum 6,000 square feet, 8 at 10,000 square feet, and 14 at 20,000 square feet. Coops must keep a 10-foot setback from any property line and a 30-foot setback from an adjacent residence. Feed must be stored in an enclosed container to prevent attracting vermin, and manure must be managed to prevent odors, flies, and pests. Larger RA and agricultural parcels (0.5 acre and up) fall under the broader Animal Keeping and Raising standards (Sec. 12.03.040) rather than the backyard-chicken table.
Keeping roosters in R1/small-lot RA, exceeding the lot-size chicken limits, violating coop setbacks, or making commercial egg/poultry sales in a residential district are zoning violations enforced by Nevada County Planning/Code Compliance, in addition to any nuisance enforcement.
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Nevada County, CA
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