Can I keep chickens in West Allis, WI?
No — West Allis does not allow backyard chickens in residential zones. (West Allis Municipal Code - no animal/fowl-keeping authorization (Ch. 6 Public Safety/Morals/Welfare; Ch. 19 Zoning); no chicken permit program, verified June 2026)
The full rules
| Chickens allowed | No |
|---|---|
| Coop rules | No chicken-keeping ordinance or permit program exists. A full search of the West Allis Municipal Code returns no provision authorizing the keeping of chickens, fowl, poultry, or livestock in residential zones, and the zoning code does not list animal husbandry as a permitted residential use. |
| Code section | West Allis Municipal Code - no animal/fowl-keeping authorization (Ch. 6 Public Safety/Morals/Welfare; Ch. 19 Zoning); no chicken permit program |
West Allis does not allow backyard chickens. An exhaustive search of the official municipal code finds no chicken, poultry, or fowl-keeping ordinance and no permit pathway - the only code references to 'fowl' concern firearms and to 'livestock' concern vehicle parking. Because keeping poultry is not an authorized or permitted residential use, it is effectively prohibited; residents have an active petition asking the Common Council to legalize urban hens.
Common questions
Can I keep chickens in West Allis?
No — chickens are not allowed in West Allis (West Allis Municipal Code - no animal/fowl-keeping authorization (Ch. 6 Public Safety/Morals/Welfare; Ch. 19 Zoning); no chicken permit program).
What law covers backyard chickens in West Allis?
West Allis Municipal Code - no animal/fowl-keeping authorization (Ch. 6 Public Safety/Morals/Welfare; Ch. 19 Zoning); no chicken permit program. Read the official text at the source linked on this page.
The actual law
West Allis Municipal Code - no animal/fowl-keeping authorization (Ch. 6 Public Safety/Morals/Welfare; Ch. 19 Zoning); no chicken permit program — read the official code
“A full-text search of the West Allis Municipal Code for 'chicken' and 'poultry' returns 0 results; 'fowl' appears only in the firearms provision (Sec. 6.01, 'fowling piece') and 'livestock' only in vehicle-parking provisions - there is no ordinance authorizing the keeping of chickens.” source
“A West Allis resident expected to be able to have chickens when she purchased her home, only to find that West Allis prohibits them. (paraphrased from WPR coverage)” 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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