NJ chicken rules · Morris County
Can you keep chickens in Borough of Butler, NJ?
Butler permits poultry only as an accessory use on a lot of at least 5 acres, so backyard chickens are effectively off-limits on an ordinary Butler house lot.
The rules at a glance
| Chickens allowed | Yes, with conditions |
| Hens | 1 per acre, with 60 sq ft of housing per bird, once you meet the 5-acre floor |
| Roosters | Not specified |
| Permit | No health permit in residential districts; conditional-use approval needed outside them |
| Coop setback | At least 100 ft from a neighbor's dwelling, 50 ft from the dwelling on the lot, 25 ft from side/rear lines, 75 ft from the street |
| Lot size | Minimum 5 acres to keep poultry |
Good to know
- The zoning standards table sets poultry at a 5-acre minimum, one bird per acre.
- Because of the 5-acre floor, keeping chickens on a standard residential lot is effectively not allowed.
- Confirmed Morris County Butler, not Butler PA or MO.
Source: Borough of Butler Code Book, Ch. 143 Land Use, § 143-173.3 — view the ordinance
Verified 2026-09. Ordinances change and zoning can differ by district — always confirm the current rules with the Borough of Butler clerk or zoning office before you build.
Building a coop in Borough of Butler?
Triano Farms builds custom, predator-proof chicken coops on-site across MorrisCounty and all of New Jersey, sized to your flock and built to your town's rules.
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.