Placer County, CA Animal Ordinances: Chickens & Livestock (2026)
Key Facts
- RS/RM/RES hens
- Up to 6 hens (min 5,000 sq ft lot)
- Roosters
- Prohibited in residential zones
- Smaller parcels
- Up to 9 hens (under 1/2 acre)
- Fowl/poultry density
- Max 24 per acre in -AG and RF zones
- Ordinance
- Fowl & Poultry Ordinance, adopted Feb 8, 2011
- Code section
- Placer County Code 17.56.050(F)(6)
Summary
Placer County's 2011 Fowl and Poultry Ordinance allows up to six chicken hens in Residential Single-Family, Multi-Family, and Resort zones on lots of at least 5,000 sq ft. Roosters, guinea hens, and peahens are prohibited. Larger hen counts apply in agricultural and forest zones.
Fowl and Poultry. The number of fowl or poultry that may be kept on a site where allowed by Subsection D is not limited by this section except as follows: a. In the combining Agricultural (-AG) zone district (where the site must be no less than one-half acre for any such animals to be kept) and in the Residential-Forest (RF) zone district (where the site must be no less than one acre for any animals of this type to be kept), no more than twenty-four (24) such animals per acre shall be maintained; and, b. The keeping of more than one hundred (100) fowl or poultry is considered to be a 'chicken/turkey ranch,' and is subject to the requirements of Sections 17.06.030 et seq.
Full Breakdown
050 of the County Code. It allows the keeping of no more than six chicken hens within the RS (Residential Single-Family), RM (Residential Multi-Family), and RES (Resort) zone districts on lots with a minimum gross area of 5,000 square feet. The keeping of roosters, guinea hens, or peahens (peacock family) is prohibited in those zones. On larger parcels, no more than nine chicken hens are permitted on parcels less than one-half acre, and in the RF (Residential Forest) zone no more than 15 chicken hens are permitted on parcels less than one acre in the -AG (Agriculture Combining) zone district.
The amendment did not require that the fowl or poultry be penned or corralled, but County Animal Services still requires owners to confine birds to their own property if they stray. 050(F)(6)(a)). Keeping more than 100 fowl or poultry is considered a 'chicken/turkey ranch,' which requires a separate land-use permit. Animal enclosures must be kept free of excessive manure to control odor, flies, and vectors.
Violations & Fines
Exceeding the allowed hen count for the zone/lot size, or keeping prohibited roosters, guinea hens, or peahens, is a zoning violation subject to abatement under Article 17.62. Manure accumulation creating odor or vectors is a nuisance under the operation and maintenance standards of Section 17.56.050(E).
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I keep a rooster in residential Placer County?
How many backyard hens can I have on a standard residential lot?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Placer County
How Placer County compares: Best Cities for Backyard Chickens·California rules heatmap·Compare Placer County to another location·View the California animal ordinances overview
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