NJ chicken rules · Morris County
Can you keep chickens in Township of Chatham, NJ?
Chatham Township allows fowl only as a non-commercial accessory to your home on a lot of at least 5 acres, with any coop kept 100 feet from every property line and the street. On a typical residential lot they're effectively not permitted.
The rules at a glance
| Chickens allowed | Yes, with conditions |
| Hens | No numeric cap (gated by the 5-acre requirement) |
| Roosters | Not specified |
| Permit | Not specified (governed through zoning) |
| Coop setback | No structure or enclosure closer than 100 ft to any property line or street right-of-way |
| Lot size | At least 5 acres |
Good to know
- Zoning permits keeping farm animals or fowl for the occupants' use and not for profit, on 5+ acres.
- On lots under 5 acres, backyard chickens are effectively not allowed.
- This is Chatham Township. Chatham Borough, by contrast, flatly bans keeping fowl.
Source: Township of Chatham Code, Ch. 30 Land Development, Art. VII (eCode360), Ch. 30 Art. VII — view the ordinance
Verified 2026-09. Ordinances change and zoning can differ by district — always confirm the current rules with the Township of Chatham clerk or zoning office before you build.
Building a coop in Township of Chatham?
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.