NJ chicken rules · Morris County
Can you keep chickens in Chester Township, NJ?
Yes. Chester Township allows keeping fowl as a permitted accessory use in all its residential zones, with no stated hen limit ('all fowl regardless of the number'). Fowl must be housed in an enclosed building or fenced yard that meets the zone's accessory-building setbacks.
The rules at a glance
| Chickens allowed | Yes |
| Hens | No stated limit |
| Roosters | Not specified |
| Permit | Not specified (permitted by right) |
| Coop setback | Meets the zone's accessory-building setbacks (no fowl-specific distance) |
| Lot size | No minimum specific to fowl |
Good to know
- Per-acre caps apply only to horses/cattle (1 per acre) and sheep/goats/pigs (5 per acre), not to fowl.
- Fowl must be housed in an enclosed building or fenced yard, with adequate fencing.
- This is Chester Township — distinct from Chester Borough.
Source: Chester Township Land Use Code (eCode360), § 113-243F–G — view the ordinance
Verified 2026-09. Ordinances change and zoning can differ by district — always confirm the current rules with the Chester Township clerk or zoning office before you build.
Building a coop in Chester Township?
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.