NJ chicken rules · Middlesex County
Backyard chicken rules in Middlesex County, NJ
Every town in Middlesex County sets its own rule. Of the 24 we have read, 11 allow backyard hens outright or with conditions, 3 ban them, and 10 have no clear rule in the code. Each town page cites the ordinance it comes from.
| Town | Hens | Roosters | Permit |
|---|---|---|---|
| Borough of Carteret | Not specified | Not specified | Not specified |
| Township of Cranbury | No stated limit | Not specified | Not specified |
| Borough of Dunellen | Up to 8 mature chickens per permit | Prohibited | Required: free annual permit from the Municipal Clerk after a site inspection |
| Township of East Brunswick | Not specified (no numeric limit in the code) | Not specified | Not specified (governed by zoning eligibility) |
| Township of Edison | No stated limit | Not specified | Required (Zoning and Health officers, plus a license from the Division of Licenses) |
| Borough of Highland Park | Not specified | Not specified | Not specified |
| Borough of Jamesburg | Not specified | Not specified | Not specified |
| Borough of Metuchen | Not specified | Not specified | Not specified |
| Borough of Middlesex | Up to 25 fowl on at least one acre; more than 25 needs two acres | Not specified | Required for keeping fowl for commercial purposes; $100 annual license for farm, domestic and wild animals |
| Borough of Milltown | Not specified | Not specified | Not specified |
| Monroe Township (Middlesex) | No fixed number (scales by acreage per Rutgers guidelines) | Not specified | Not specified (Health Officer may inspect) |
| City of New Brunswick | Not permitted | Prohibited | Not available (chickens are banned) |
| Township of North Brunswick | Up to 8 female chickens | Prohibited | Required (zoning permit from the Department of Community Development) |
| Township of Old Bridge | 5 per 5,000 sq ft, up to a maximum of 15 | Prohibited (no roosters on residential lots under 5 acres) | Required (one-time $25 zoning permit; poultry-keeping class required) |
| City of Perth Amboy | No stated limit | Not specified | Required: written permit from the Division of Health |
| Township of Piscataway | Not specified | Not specified | No poultry permit exists |
| Township of Plainsboro | No hard cap for small flocks (100+ fowl triggers larger setbacks) | Not specified | Allowed as a farm use in the R-200 zone (no separate poultry permit named) |
| Borough of Sayreville | Not specified | Not specified | Not specified |
| City of South Amboy | Not specified | Not specified | Not specified |
| South Brunswick Township | 4 (¼–<1 acre), 8 (≥1 acre) | Prohibited | No permit fee/license (standards apply directly) |
| Borough of South Plainfield | Not specified | Not specified | Board of Health license fee listed: $75 per year, expires March 31 |
| Borough of South River | Not permitted | Prohibited | Not available (chickens are banned) |
| Borough of Spotswood | Not permitted | Prohibited | Not available (chickens are banned) |
| Township of Woodbridge | Not specified | Not specified | Required (discretionary special permit from Health & Human Services, $75/year, after inspection) |
Rules come from each town's municipal code and are cited on the town's own page. Ordinances change, so confirm with your town before you build. See every NJ town.
Building a coop in Middlesex County?
Triano Farms builds custom, predator-proof chicken coops on-site across MiddlesexCounty and all of New Jersey, sized to your flock and built to your town's rules.
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.