Residential backyard chicken keeping is becoming an increasingly popular practice in New Jersey and with good reason. Having your own chickens can provide you with many benefits including but not limited to fresh eggs and entertainment. Needless to say, there are also cons to consider, as raising chickens isn’t always easy. Regardless, chickens are relatively easy to care for and one of the biggest advantages of raising them is the fresh eggs.
That said, not every municipality in New Jersey allows residential backyard chickens. So before you bring any chickens to your backyard, it’s important to find out whether your city or town allows them. You can do so by contacting your local animal control, zoning department, or city/town clerk's office. Meanwhile, here are 10 New Jersey municipalities wherein residential backyard chickens are permitted.
1. Newark, NJ
Chickens, ducks, and geese are legal to keep in the city of Newark, NJ. But before bringing them into your backyard, you must obtain a permit from the Director of the Department of Health and Community Wellness. The fee for the permit, which expires annually on December 31, is $10. The keeping of chickens is not permitted in multi-family houses or multi-family house yards. The City Code requires chickens to be kept confined in a suitable coop with an enclosed runway.
You must clean your chicken coop at least once a week, and more often if the Health Officer so requires. Furthermore, your chicken coop or runway must be kept 20 feet away from the doors or windows of any premises occupied by human beings. Lastly, it's unlawful for you to keep roosters within the City of Newark.
2. Jersey City, NJ
Raising backyard chickens is allowed in Jersey City but a license is required to do so. Per Chapter 90, Article II, § 90-7 of the Jersey City Code or Ordinances, you must not keep chickens "without having first obtained a license from the license issuing authority." As a chicken license holder, you must not keep chickens within 25 feet of any structure owned by another. The maximum number of chickens you're permitted to keep is 50. You can keep chickens, ducks, and other domestic birds in any combination. You're required to clean your chicken coop at least once a week or more often if necessary.
3. Elizabeth, NJ
You may have backyard chickens in the City of Elizabeth, NJ, as long as you don't keep them within 150 feet of any neighboring residence. The City Code prohibits chicken owners from causing or allowing any place where chickens are kept to become unclean or unwholesome. The number or type of chickens you can keep isn't restricted so long as you comply with the distance and sanitation requirements.
4. Edison, NJ
In the Township of Edison, the keeping of chickens, whether for noncommercial purposes or otherwise, requires a permit and a license. The permit can be obtained from the Zoning or Health Officer while the license can be obtained from the Division of Licenses. Both the permit and the license do not authorize the keeping of chickens for sale. The Township Code requires the floors of all chicken coops to be kept clean and dry at all times. Your chicken coop and run must not be located within 50 feet of any unit or within 10 feet of any property line. They also must not be located within 200 feet of any food or eating establishment.
5. Borough of Middlesex, NJ
You may keep chickens in the Borough of Middlesex, provided you adhere to certain rules and regulations. The Borough Code requires that chickens be confined in a suitable coop attached to an enclosed runway. Such enclosures must be located at least 100 feet from the doors or windows of any building occupied by human beings. In addition to those requirements, at least one acre of land is required to keep up to 24 chickens. If you intend to keep chickens for commercial purposes, you must obtain a license to do so.
6. Clifton, NJ
The keeping of chickens, ducks, geese, and pigeons is allowed in Clifton, NJ, but a license is required to do so. You may apply to the Clifton Health Department for a chicken-keeping license, the issuance of which is subject to certain conditions. To begin with, you must not keep a crowing rooster within the City of Clifton. You are required to keep your hens in such a manner as to not constitute a public health nuisance. All hens must be confined in a suitable, durable coop or enclosure. Such coop or enclosure must be located at least 20 feet from the adjacent property line. Furthermore, the City Code prohibits you from slaughtering chickens on your property.
7. Brick, NJ
In the Township of Brick, NJ, chickens and other domestic birds including turkeys, quails, pheasants, peacocks, geese, and ducks are considered Class IV animals, the keeping of which is allowed in the Township. Per the Township Code, you may keep no more than 4 Class IV animals on any property. To exceed this limit, you need to obtain a permit from the Township Animal Control Officer.
8. Franklin Township, NJ
You may keep backyard chickens in the Township of Franklin, provided you comply with the Township's chicken-keeping rules. The Franklin Township Code requires all chickens to be confined in a suitable enclosure. Such enclosure must be kept in such a condition as to not become a public nuisance.
9. Old Bridge Township, NJ
The keeping of backyard chickens on residential lots is permitted within the Township of Old Bridge. However, you must first obtain a zoning permit from the Zoning Officer to keep chickens. As a permit holder, you're allowed to keep up to 15 hens on a lot that is at least 10,000 square feet in size. Visit the Township's Animal Ordinance for additional info.
10. Gloucester Township, NJ
Subject to certain rules and regulations, the keeping of backyard chickens is allowed in the Township of Gloucester. Residents of single-family homes are required by the Township Code to obtain a license from the Township Clerk to keep backyard chickens. There is a limit of 6 chickens, excluding roosters. per license.
Other New Jersey municipalities that allow backyard chickens
A permit or license is required to keep backyard chickens in the following New Jersey municipalities:
- Union City, NJ
- Perth Amboy, NJ
- Wayne Township, NJ
- Township of Washington, NJ
- Monroe Township, NJ
- Evesham Township, NJ
- Mount Laurel, NJ
- Township of Berkeley, NJ
- Manalapan Township, NJ
- Winslow Township, NJ
- Township of Montclair, NJ
- Fort Lee Borough, NJ
- Kearny, NJ
- Atlantic City, NJ
- Borough of Fair Lawn, NJ
- Freehold Borough, NJ
- City of Garfield, NJ
- Lawrence Township, NJ
- Voorhees Township, NJ
- Princeton, NJ
- Stafford Township, NJ
- Englewood, NJ
- Borough of Rockaway, NJ
- Borough of Paramus, NJ
- Village of Ridgewood, NJ
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