Can you keep chickens in Township of Burlington, NJ?
Only on larger lots. The zoning code bars chickens and other fowl on any lot under 1 acre, and allows up to 10 fowl on a lot of 1 to 2 acres.
The rules at a glance
| Chickens allowed | Yes, with conditions |
| Hens | Up to 10 fowl on 1 to 2 acres |
| Roosters | Crowing roosters are limited to farms of 3 acres or more |
| Permit | Not specified; a county health special permit is needed for an exception |
| Coop setback | Coop at least 50 feet from any lot line, 100 feet if more than 10 fowl |
| Lot size | Min. 1 acre |
Good to know
- Zoning section 330-35 allows 10 more fowl per acre above 2 acres, up to 5 acres, after which no limit applies.
- The animal chapter defines chickens as farm animals and limits farm animals to a farm, meaning a parcel of 3 acres or more.
- The Burlington County Health Department can grant a special permit as an exception to the farm-only rule.
- No processing or slaughtering of fowl for commercial purposes.
Source: Township of Burlington Code (eCode360), § 330-35, Residential zone district regulations (fowl); see also §§ 122-1 to 122-4 (view the ordinance)
Verified 2026-09. Ordinances change and zoning can differ by district; always confirm the current rules with the Township of Burlington clerk or zoning office before you build.
Chicken rules in nearby Burlington County towns
Building a coop in Township 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.