Wauwatosa chicken laws

Quick facts

Chicken limit

Up to 4 chickens (hens)

Roosters

Roosters prohibited

Permit or license

Annual chicken-keeping permit required ($50 initial fee, $20 annual renewal per city page)

Last checked

2026-10-25

This applies inside Wauwatosa city limits. ZIP codes and mailing addresses can cross city lines, and nearby towns, villages, and counties have their own rules. HOA rules and leases can be stricter.

Before you apply

• Obtain a city permit from the Development Department before acquiring any live chickens (one permit per residential parcel).
• Obtain written consent from the property owner (if renting) and from the owners of all adjoining or diagonally abutting properties, including across an alley.
• Submit a site plan showing coop and enclosure dimensions and distances to lot lines and neighboring dwellings.
• Register the premises with the Wisconsin DATCP Livestock Premises Registration program.

Key rules

• Chickens must be kept in a sanitary, covered coop or fenced enclosure at all times; coops and yards together must provide at least 16 square feet per chicken.
• Coops must be moisture-resistant and either raised off the ground or placed on a hard surface such as concrete, patio block, or gravel.
• No coop or enclosure may be in the front yard or closer than 25 feet to any residential dwelling on an adjacent lot unless that neighbor gives written consent.
• Coops and yards must be cleaned of droppings, uneaten feed, feathers, and waste daily.
• On-site slaughtering is prohibited, and eggs may not be sold, traded, or hatched for commercial purposes.
• Unusual illness or death of chickens must be reported immediately to the Health Department.

Official sources

We summarize these documents in plain language. The official text always wins.

• City of Wauwatosa chicken keeping permits page
  Official city permit requirements, fees, and application instructions.
• Wauwatosa Municipal Code Sec. 9.04.050–9.04.060 (Municode)
  Official ordinance text for domestic keeping of chickens in Wauwatosa.

Spot something out of date?

Cities update fees and rules. If you find a change, send us the official source link and we will re-check this page.

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Next steps

• Size your coop and run: housing guide.
• Pick breeds that handle Wisconsin weather: breed guide.
• Estimate your setup cost, including the permit fee: cost calculator.
• Print the First-Year Starter Checklist.