About BackyardLivestockLaws

Why This Site Exists

The question "can I have backyard chickens where I live?" sounds simple. The answer is buried in a 60-page PDF zoning ordinance, a Reddit thread from 2018, or a government website that hasn't been updated since the rule changed two years ago.

BackyardLivestockLaws was built to fix that. We read actual municipal codes, translate the relevant sections into plain English, and organize the information by animal type, state, and city — so you can find a reliable answer in minutes, not hours.

We currently cover 94 pages of ordinance guides across 40+ cities, 18 states, and 5 animal categories, with free interactive tools for coop sizing, setback compliance, flock planning, and beehive compliance.

Our Editorial Standards

Every factual claim on this site is sourced from one of the following:

• Published municipal codes — accessed through Municode.com, American Legal Publishing, or the municipality's own code portal
• County UDO (Unified Development Ordinance) documents — accessed through county planning department websites
• State Department of Agriculture publications — for state-level registration requirements (primarily beekeeping)
• Direct confirmation from planning department staff — for ambiguous provisions or jurisdictions with limited online code access

Where a specific code section governs a rule, we cite it by name (e.g., "Seattle Municipal Code § 23.42.052"). Where ordinances are ambiguous or vary within a jurisdiction, we note the variation rather than oversimplifying.

What We Are — and What We Are Not

We are an informational reference site. We are not lawyers, zoning officials, animal control officers, or licensed professionals of any kind. Nothing on this site constitutes legal or zoning advice, and nothing here should be treated as a substitute for direct verification with your local planning department.

Ordinances change frequently — some cities update livestock rules annually. Our guides reflect ordinance text as verified at the time of our most recent review of each page. If you find outdated information, please contact us with a correction and a source link.

How We Research an Ordinance

1. Identify the controlling jurisdiction — city vs. unincorporated county, and the specific zoning district
2. Locate the published code — Municode, city website, or county planning portal
3. Find the livestock/poultry section — searching for "chickens," "poultry," "domestic fowl," "livestock," or "bees/apiary" as appropriate
4. Read the definitions section — to confirm how terms like "miniature goat" or "domestic fowl" are defined in that specific code
5. Cross-reference the use table — to confirm whether the use is permitted, conditional, or prohibited in the relevant zone
6. Identify supplemental standards — flock limits, setbacks, permit fees, and enclosure requirements
7. Note the review date — so readers know how current the information is

Our Tools

The interactive calculators and wizards on this site are built in plain HTML and vanilla JavaScript — no frameworks, no tracking beyond what's disclosed in our Privacy Policy. They run entirely in your browser. All tools are free and require no account.

Tool results are general estimates based on typical ordinance patterns across hundreds of reviewed municipal codes. They are not jurisdiction-specific outputs — always verify results against your local code.

Advertising & Affiliate Relationships

This site displays Google AdSense advertisements. Ads are served automatically and do not reflect editorial endorsements. We do not accept sponsored content or paid placements that influence editorial decisions.

Some pages contain links to products on Amazon.com. We participate in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program — if you purchase through these links, we earn a small commission at no additional cost to you. Affiliate relationships do not influence which products we recommend or how we cover any topic.

Corrections Policy

We take ordinance accuracy seriously. If you find an error, an outdated rule, or a missing city you'd like covered, please submit a correction with the specific city/county, the rule you believe is wrong, and a link to the current ordinance text if available. Verified corrections are updated promptly.

Contact

For corrections, questions, or to suggest a city we should cover: Contact Us