Troy, MI Animal Ordinances: Chickens & Livestock (2026)
Key Facts
- Fowl/livestock
- classed as "domestic animals" under Ch. 90
- Permit
- required from City Clerk
- Minimum lot size
- three-quarters of an acre
- Waiver limit
- denied for loud or nuisance animals
- Permit term
- expires 5 years from issuance
- Penalty
- civil infraction, fine up to $500/day
Summary
Troy classifies chickens, geese, ducks, and other fowl or livestock as "domestic animals" and requires an animal permit from the City Clerk to keep them. Chapter 90 also demands the lot hold at least three-quarters of an acre, a threshold the Animal Control Appeal Board can waive only for hardship, never for noise-prone animals.
"Domestic Animal" - An animal, other than a dog, that is not feral in nature, including, but not limited to horses, cows, chickens, geese, pigeons, ducks, steers, ponies, mules, donkeys, sheep, swine, pigs and goats. ... Permit Required for Domestic, Dangerous and Wild Animals. No person shall own or control a domestic animal or a dangerous animal or a wild animal, other than a dog, cat or house pet, within the City of Troy, without having obtained an animal permit from the Clerk for the City of Troy. ... in the case of domestic animals, demonstrate to the Housing and Zoning Inspector that the lot or parcel that animals will be kept on is three-quarters (¾) of one (1) acre or larger. This requirement may be waived by the Animal Control Appeal Board if the applicant can demonstrate circumstances that allow for waiver pursuant to regulations promulgated by the Animal Control Appeal Board. Waivers will not be granted for animals that are loud or likely to be detrimental to the neighborhood.
Full Breakdown
10 makes it unlawful to own or control a domestic animal in Troy without an animal permit from the City Clerk, enforced as a Municipal Civil Infraction under Chapter 100 with fines up to $500 per day. " The Animal Control Appeal Board can waive the acreage rule only on a showing of hardship circumstances, and the Code specifically bars waivers for "animals that are loud or likely to be detrimental to the neighborhood," language that targets exactly the rooster-and-crowing complaints backyard flocks generate. Approved permits list the specific animals and location and can carry added conditions from the Inspector or Board; they expire after five years, on a change of address, or when ownership transfers, and must be renewed before any move.
A permit can be revoked for exceeding the approved head count or violating Board regulations, triggering a duty to remove the animals from Troy unless a timely appeal is filed within seven days.
Violations & Fines
Keeping chickens, ducks, geese, or other livestock in Troy without the required domestic-animal permit, or on a lot smaller than three-quarters of an acre without an Appeal Board waiver, is a Municipal Civil Infraction under Chapter 100. Each day of the violation is a separate infraction, with fines up to $500 plus costs, damages, and any injunctive order the court allows.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I keep chickens on a normal-size Troy lot?
Do I need a permit for a couple of backyard hens?
What if my Troy lot doesn't meet the chicken-keeping acreage rule?
How long does a domestic-animal permit last, and can I move my flock?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Troy
How Troy compares: Best Cities for Backyard Chickens·Compare Troy to another location·View the Michigan animal ordinances overview
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Chickens & Livestock in Nearby Cities
How other cities in Oakland County handle chickens & livestock.