Can you keep chickens in City of Burlington, NJ?
Yes, up to six chickens per household under the backyard chicken rules adopted in 2025. Roosters are not permitted and the code does not mention a license.
The rules at a glance
| Chickens allowed | Yes, with conditions |
| Hens | Up to 6 hens |
| Roosters | Prohibited |
| Permit | Not specified |
| Coop setback | Coop and run at least 5 feet from the property line and 15 feet from the nearest neighboring home |
| Lot size | No minimum stated |
| Rule adopted | April 2025 |
Good to know
- Article XI, Farm Animals, was adopted 4-22-2025 by Ordinance 04-2025.
- Coop must allow at least 2 square feet per chicken, may not exceed 100 square feet, and may not stand taller than 7 feet 6 inches.
- No slaughtering of chickens in the City, and no selling of eggs.
- The same article keeps crowing roosters and other farm animals to a farm, meaning a parcel of 3 acres or more.
Source: City of Burlington Code (eCode360), § 84-84, Keeping of backyard chickens (view the ordinance)
Verified 2026-09. Ordinances change and zoning can differ by district; always confirm the current rules with the City of Burlington clerk or zoning office before you build.
Chicken rules in nearby Burlington County towns
Building a coop in City of Burlington?
Triano Farms builds custom, predator-proof chicken coops on-site across BurlingtonCounty 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.