NJ chicken rules · Sussex County
Can you keep chickens in Byram Township, NJ?
Unclear. Byram briefly adopted a 5-hen ordinance in 2020 but repealed it weeks later. Its animal code now covers only dogs and cats, so keeping chickens falls under the zoning code as an agricultural use. There's no current per-hen rule — confirm with the township.
The rules at a glance
| Chickens allowed | Unclear |
| Hens | No current specific limit (former 5-hen rule repealed) |
| Roosters | Not specified |
| Permit | Not specified |
| Coop setback | Not specified for poultry |
| Lot size | Not specified for poultry |
Good to know
- Byram's short-lived backyard-chicken section (former § 87-20, up to 5 hens) was repealed in December 2020.
- A '32 hens per acre' figure circulates online but is not in the actual code.
- Keeping fowl falls under the zoning ordinance as a farming/agricultural use.
Source: Byram Township Code (eCode360), Ch. 87 Animals; Ch. 240 Zoning — view the ordinance
Verified 2026-09. Ordinances change and zoning can differ by district — always confirm the current rules with the Byram Township clerk or zoning office before you build.
Building a coop in Byram Township?
Triano Farms builds custom, predator-proof chicken coops on-site across SussexCounty 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.
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