Can you keep chickens in Township of Berkeley, NJ?
Yes. Berkeley allows up to nine hens on a single-family residential lot under one acre, bans roosters on lots under one acre, and sets detailed coop and run standards.
The rules at a glance
| Chickens allowed | Yes, with conditions |
| Hens | Up to 9 hens |
| Roosters | Prohibited on any property under one acre |
| Permit | Not specified |
| Coop setback | Coop and run in the rear or side yard, meeting the setbacks for the zone |
| Lot size | No minimum stated |
Good to know
- Chickens may not be kept in adult communities or on lagoon properties.
- The coop needs 4 square feet of floor space per bird, a nest box for every three hens and 12 inches of roost space per hen.
- A run or exercise yard is required, at 10 or 16 square feet per bird depending on yard access.
- Chickens may not be housed in a house or garage except for brooding.
Source: Township of Berkeley Code (eCode360), § 9-16.3, Keeping of Chickens (view the ordinance)
Verified 2026-09. Ordinances change and zoning can differ by district; always confirm the current rules with the Township of Berkeley clerk or zoning office before you build.
Chicken rules in nearby Ocean County towns
Building a coop in Township of Berkeley?
Triano Farms builds custom, predator-proof chicken coops on-site across OceanCounty 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.
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.