NJ chicken rules · Essex County
Can you keep chickens in Township of Cedar Grove, NJ?
Cedar Grove treats chickens as domesticated farm animals and allows them if you register annually with the Health Department ($5 per animal), with the coop set back from lines and neighbors' windows.
The rules at a glance
| Chickens allowed | Yes, with conditions |
| Hens | No numeric cap in the code |
| Roosters | Not addressed (no rooster-specific rule) |
| Permit | Annual registration with the Health Department, $5 per animal, with an annual inspection |
| Coop setback | Coop at least 10 ft from side and rear lines, behind the rear building line, and no animal within 50 ft of a neighbor's window or door |
| Lot size | No minimum stated |
Good to know
- "Farm animal" is defined to include chickens; only non-domesticated and wild/exotic animals are prohibited.
- The code sets no hen cap and no rooster rule, so confirm those specifics with the Health Department.
- Registration can be revoked if the animals negatively affect neighbors.
Source: Township of Cedar Grove Code, Ch. 91 Animals, Art. IV (eCode360), §§ 91-30.1, 91-32, 91-32.1 — view the ordinance
Verified 2026-09. Ordinances change and zoning can differ by district — always confirm the current rules with the Township of Cedar Grove clerk or zoning office before you build.
Building a coop in Township of Cedar Grove?
Triano Farms builds custom, predator-proof chicken coops on-site across EssexCounty 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?
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