Stearns County, MN Animal Ordinances: Chickens & Livestock (2026)
Key Facts
- T-20/R-20/R-10, 1 acre
- up to 18 chickens
- Urban Expansion, 1 acre
- up to 15 chickens
- Roosters
- prohibited in all districts
- Free-range/pastured poultry
- reclassified as feedlot
- Ag district, 1 acre
- up to 0.3 animal units
Summary
Stearns County's zoning ordinance sets acreage-based limits on chickens and other livestock outside cities. In the T-20, R-20 and R-10 districts, a one-acre parcel may keep up to 18 hens; roosters are banned everywhere under this rule.
6.8.6 Animal Unit Density Requirements. C. The following animal density regulations shall apply in the T-20, R-20 and R-10 zoning districts... (1) Parcels with at least one (1) acre shall be allowed up to 18 head of chickens. (a) Chickens must be provided with a shelter and an open lot area. (b) Free range or pastured poultry are considered feedlot. (c) Roosters are prohibited.
Full Breakdown
6, Animal Unit Density Requirements, ties poultry and livestock numbers to lot size and zoning district. In the T-20, R-20 and R-10 districts, a parcel of at least one acre may keep up to 18 head of chickens, provided the birds have a shelter and an open lot area; roosters are prohibited outright. Parcels of two to five acres in those districts are capped at one animal unit, rising with additional acreage to a ceiling of 49 animal units in T-20 and 6 in R-20/R-10.
9 animal units. 3 animal units per acre. 8 feedlot setback and manure-management rules rather than this backyard-scale table. Larger keeping proposals fall outside these density caps and require the feedlot permitting track administered by the Stearns County Environmental Services / Planning & Zoning Department. The section was last amended April 8, 2025.
Violations & Fines
A parcel exceeding its allowed chicken count, keeping a rooster, or running free-range poultry without feedlot permitting is a zoning violation enforceable by Stearns County Planning & Zoning, which can require correction or referral for prosecution as a misdemeanor under the ordinance's general penalty provisions. Complaints typically originate from neighboring property owners.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many chickens can I keep on one acre in Stearns County?
Can I let my chickens free-range in Stearns County?
Are roosters allowed in Stearns County?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Stearns County
How Stearns County compares: Best Cities for Backyard Chickens·Compare Stearns County to another location·View the Minnesota animal ordinances overview
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