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Yolo County, CA Animal Ordinances: Chickens & Livestock (2026)

Some Restrictions
Compiled from the official code textEditor Martyn O'NeillLast verified September 2026

Key Facts

Small Animals - Most Residential
Up to 4 without permit (§ 8-2.506)
Small Animals - RR-2/RR-5
Up to 9 without kennel permit
Poultry on Lots >10,000 sf
Up to 7 fowl (§ 8-2.506)
Large Livestock Min Lot
0.5 acre in A-R, RR-5, RR-2, R-L
Animal Density Points (1 acre)
25 points + 5 per added 1/5 acre
Roosters
RR-5 only; RR-2/R-L only on 5+ acres

Summary

Yolo County Zoning Code § 8-2.506 lets all residential zones keep up to four small domestic animals (dogs, cats, rabbits, certain parrots) without a kennel permit; larger numbers and chickens/poultry are tied to parcel size, and large livestock (cattle, sheep, goats, horses, fowl) require half an acre or more in the A-R, RR-5, RR-2, and R-L zones with allocations under an Animal Density Point system.

City-specific rules exist: West Sacramento has its own chickens & livestock rules that differ from Yolo County's county-level regulations. If you live in West Sacramento, check the city-specific page instead.

The keeping of up to four (4) small domestic animals is allowed in all residential zones, except for the RR-2 and RR-5 zones, where up to nine (9) small domestic animals may be kept without need for a kennel permit. For parcels that exceed ten thousand (10,000) square feet, up to six (6) small domestic animals and up to seven (7) domestic fowl or poultry may be kept.

View official code

Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: 2026 S-21: Supplement 2026 S-21 includes: Local legislation current through Ord. 1584, effective June 25, 2026).

Full Breakdown

507 (Definitions), small domestic animals are limited to four per parcel in standard residential zones without a kennel permit, but the RR-2 and RR-5 zones allow up to nine small domestic animals without a kennel permit. On any parcel exceeding 10,000 square feet, up to six small domestic animals plus up to seven domestic fowl or poultry may be kept. 'Small domestic animal' is defined to mean dogs, cats, domesticated rabbits, pot-bellied pigs under twenty-two inches at the shoulder, and the bird species macaws, eclectus, cockatoos, and amazons.

'Large domestic animals or fowl' includes horses, burros, mules, swine, cattle, sheep, goats, all fowl (chickens, ducks, turkeys), and American bison; these animals may be kept on lots of one-half acre or more in the A-R (Agricultural Residential), RR-5, RR-2, and R-L zones in numbers not exceeding the allotment of Animal Density Points (a parcel of one acre receives 25 points, plus five points for each additional one-fifth of an acre; a parcel between one-half and one acre receives seven points). Roosters are restricted to the RR-5 zone except that they are allowed on lots of five acres or more in the RR-2 and R-L zones; on parcels greater than five acres a rooster costs four Animal Density Points. Setback and screening requirements apply to animal enclosures; livestock kept commercially or in confinement at scale may also be subject to State CDFA regulation.

Violations & Fines

Violations of the zoning standards in Title 8 are enforced through the Planning Division Code Enforcement program and can result in administrative citations, abatement orders, and (for continuing or commercial violations) civil penalties up to those authorized by Government Code §§ 25132, 53069.4 and Yolo County's Administrative Penalty Ordinance. Unsanitary conditions or animal-cruelty violations may also be prosecuted as misdemeanors under California Penal Code § 597.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I keep backyard chickens in unincorporated Yolo County?
Yes, with limits. Under § 8-2.506, parcels over 10,000 square feet in residential zones may keep up to seven domestic fowl or poultry in addition to small domestic animals. Larger numbers and roosters require RR-5 zoning (or RR-2/R-L lots of five acres or more), and the rooster itself consumes four Animal Density Points on parcels over five acres.
What zones allow horses, cattle, or goats?
Large domestic animals are allowed on lots of one-half acre or more in the A-R, RR-5, RR-2, and R-L zones. The exact number is set by the Animal Density Points system in § 8-2.506: a one-acre parcel receives 25 points and gains 5 more for each additional one-fifth of an acre; parcels between a half and one acre receive 7 points.
Are roosters allowed in suburban-style residential lots?
Not in lower-density residential zones. Per § 8-2.506, roosters are only allowed by right in the RR-5 zone. They may be allowed in RR-2 and R-L only when the lot is at least five acres. Hens (without roosters) follow the general fowl rules and are permitted on most parcels exceeding 10,000 square feet.

Sources & Official References

Other rules in Yolo County

All Yolo County rules

How Yolo County compares: Best Cities for Backyard Chickens·California rules heatmap·Compare Yolo County to another location·View the California animal ordinances overview

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