Stafford regulates the keeping of livestock and fowl within city limits under Chapter 10 of the Code of Ordinances, requiring a permit from the city health officer for enclosures and imposing sanitation and setback conditions on residents.
Under Chapter 10 of the Stafford Code of Ordinances, it is unlawful for any person to keep livestock or fowl in any stable, pen, shed, or other enclosure without obtaining a permit from the city health officer. The ordinance applies to chickens, ducks, geese, goats, hogs, sheep, cattle, and similar animals, and addresses sanitary conditions, odor, and proximity to neighboring dwellings. Residents in HOA-governed neighborhoods should also check deed restrictions, which often impose stricter limits than the city code. State law (HB 1947, eff. 2025) bars certain prohibitions on six or fewer hens on single-family lots, but Stafford retains authority over permits, sanitation, and enclosures.
Keeping any livestock or fowl in an enclosure without a city health officer permit, or maintaining unsanitary conditions, may result in citations, fines, and orders to remove the animals from the property.
See how other cities in Fort Bend County handle chickens & livestock.
See how Stafford's chickens & livestock rules stack up against other locations.
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