Can you keep chickens in Township of Belleville, NJ?
Yes. Belleville allows up to six chickens or other fowl per property, the coop has to be registered with the Health Department for $50 a year, and roosters are banned.
The rules at a glance
| Chickens allowed | Yes |
| Hens | Up to 6 birds total (rabbits, chickens, pigeons and other fowl combined) |
| Roosters | Prohibited (§ 16-8.26) |
| Permit | Coop registered with the Health Department, $50 a year; property survey showing the coop location |
| Coop setback | Coop at least 30 ft from any home, store or office and 10 ft from any neighboring property line |
| Lot size | No minimum stated |
| Rule adopted | Oct 2025 |
| Ducks | Same rules as chickens |
Good to know
- The six-bird rule is § 16-8.27, amended 10-28-2025 by Ord. No. 58-25; the repealed § 16-8.30 was an older duplicate section.
- Birds must be confined in a coop with an enclosed runway and may not run or fly at large.
- No keeping animals for breeding.
- The coop must meet township construction codes and is subject to Health Department inspection.
What about ducks?
Yes, up to six birds. Belleville's limit covers chickens, pigeons and other fowl together, so ducks count toward the same six-bird cap and coop setback rules.
§ 16-8.27: "No person(s) shall keep on his property ... any rabbits, live chickens, pigeons, or fowl in excess of six" Duck coops we build.
Building a coop in Township of Belleville?
Triano Farms builds custom, predator-proof chicken coops on-site across Essex County and all of New Jersey, sized to your flock and built to your town's rules.
In an HOA? The town allowing hens is not the same as your association allowing them. What an HOA can and cannot stop.
New to this? Start with how to raise chickens in NJ, or what a coop costs.
Chicken rules in nearby Essex County towns
Compare them side by side in the Essex County table.
Ready to keep your flock safe?
Tell us about your animals and your land. We'll design a coop built to last, on-site, just for you.