Can I keep chickens in Sheboygan, WI?
Yes — Sheboygan allows backyard chickens with no permit required. (Sheboygan Code of Ordinances Ch. 8 (Animals), Sec. 8-15 (Keeping of Fowl and Wild Animals) and Sec. 8-18 (Animal Fancier Permit), verified June 2026)
The full rules
| Chickens allowed | Yes |
|---|---|
| Permit required | No |
| Coop rules | Up to 3 domestic animals including fowl/chickens (over 5 months) may be kept with NO permit. Keeping more than 3 requires an Animal Fancier Permit ($3/yr, or free with a pet license; max one permit per dwelling unit). Animals must be kept healthy; quarters clean and in good repair; pens/enclosures large enough for freedom of movement and built of nonporous, noncorrosive materials. Fowl may not be kept in any unsanitary condition or so close to dwellings as to be a nuisance. |
| Code section | Sheboygan Code of Ordinances Ch. 8 (Animals), Sec. 8-15 (Keeping of Fowl and Wild Animals) and Sec. 8-18 (Animal Fancier Permit) |
Sheboygan allows backyard chickens: up to 3 fowl (over five months old) may be kept with no permit, and keeping more than 3 requires an inexpensive Animal Fancier Permit ($3/year, or free with a pet license, one per dwelling unit). There is no hard hen cap, but fowl may not be kept in an unsanitary condition or so close to dwellings as to be a nuisance, and animal-fancier care standards (clean, well-maintained, adequately sized enclosures) apply. Roosters, slaughter, and setbacks are not specifically addressed in the code.
Common questions
Can I keep chickens in Sheboygan?
Yes — chickens are allowed in Sheboygan (Sheboygan Code of Ordinances Ch. 8 (Animals), Sec. 8-15 (Keeping of Fowl and Wild Animals) and Sec. 8-18 (Animal Fancier Permit)).
How many chickens can I keep in Sheboygan?
It depends on your lot. No hard cap. Up to 3 fowl/chickens (over 5 months) allowed with no permit; more than 3 allowed only with an Animal Fancier Permit ($3/yr or free with a pet license; one per dwelling unit). Subject to nuisance and sanitary standards..
Do I need a permit to keep chickens in Sheboygan?
No — no permit is required for the base allowance in Sheboygan.
What law covers backyard chickens in Sheboygan?
Sheboygan Code of Ordinances Ch. 8 (Animals), Sec. 8-15 (Keeping of Fowl and Wild Animals) and Sec. 8-18 (Animal Fancier Permit). Read the official text at the source linked on this page.
The actual law
Sheboygan Code of Ordinances Ch. 8 (Animals), Sec. 8-15 (Keeping of Fowl and Wild Animals) and Sec. 8-18 (Animal Fancier Permit) — read the official code
“No person may keep, harbor, shelter or possess more than three domestic animals including fowl over the age of five months unless the person holds a valid animal fancier permit. There shall be no more than one animal fancier permit issued per dwelling unit.” source
“No person shall keep any ducks, geese, pigeons, chickens, birds, or other fowl within the city in any unsanitary condition or within such proximity of dwelling houses or in any manner so as to be a nuisance.” source
“All animals shall be maintained in a healthy condition ... The quarters in which the animals are kept shall be maintained in a clean condition and in a good state of repair. Animal pens or enclosures shall be large enough to provide freedom of movement to the animals contained therein and shall be constructed of nonporous and noncorrosive materials.” source
“This permit shall be included at no cost with pet licenses issued pursuant to sections 8-9(c) and 8-42. If a person has no pet license ... an animal fancier permit shall be issued upon the payment of $3.00 on an annual basis.” source
Last verified June 13, 2026. Always confirm with your municipality — HOA rules can be stricter than city code. How we verify →
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