NJ chicken rules · Somerset County
Backyard chicken rules in Somerset County, NJ
Every town in Somerset County sets its own rule. Of the 21 we have read, 15 allow backyard hens outright or with conditions, 2 ban them, and 4 have no clear rule in the code. Each town page cites the ordinance it comes from.
| Town | Hens | Roosters | Permit |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bedminster Township | No numeric limit found | Not specified | Not specified |
| Bernards Township | No numeric cap (the 2-acre minimum gates it) | Not specified | No chicken-specific permit (conditional-use / zoning) |
| Borough of Bernardsville | No numeric limit (regulated as farming) | No specific provision | None specific to fowl (a zoning permit is required for structures generally) |
| Borough of Bound Brook | Not specified | Not specified | None found |
| Branchburg Township | No numeric limit found (home agriculture) | Not specified | Not specified for home agriculture |
| Bridgewater Township | Not specified (no residential provision) | Not specified | Not specified |
| Borough of Far Hills | Not specified | Not specified | Not specified |
| Township of Franklin | By lot size: 2 (10,000–19,999 sf), 4 (20,000–39,999 sf), 6 (40,000–59,999 sf), plus 4 for each additional 20,000 sf | Prohibited | Required ($25, valid 1 year, renewed annually at no cost, via the Animal Control Officer) |
| Township of Green Brook | No numeric limit; scaled to the size of the property | No specific provision | None in LD-3 (as of right); conditional-use approval required in the LD-1 and MD zones |
| Hillsborough Township | No numeric limit | Not specified: no rooster ban in the adopted code | Not specified |
| Borough of Manville | Not permitted | Prohibited | Not available for chickens |
| Borough of Millstone | Not specified | Not specified | Not specified |
| Montgomery Township | 6 on ½ acre, +2 per additional ½ acre | Prohibited | Zoning permit required |
| Borough of North Plainfield | Up to 3 | Prohibited | Required (Board of Health permit with neighbor approval letters; $25 per animal per year) |
| Borough of Peapack and Gladstone | No numeric limit (regulated as agriculture) | No specific provision | None specific to fowl (standard zoning/building permits for structures) |
| Borough of Raritan | Up to 6 fowl total | Prohibited | Required (written permission from the Borough Clerk; application plus notice to bordering property owners) |
| Borough of Rocky Hill | Not specified | Not specified | Not specified |
| Borough of Somerville | Not specified | Not specified | None stated in the health chapter |
| Borough of South Bound Brook | No stated limit (over 25 birds needs 2 acres) | Not specified | License required only for commercial keeping |
| Township of Warren | Up to 6 fowl on the minimum lot, plus 4 for each additional acre | Prohibited | None specified |
| Borough of Watchung | Not specified | Not specified | No poultry permit; governed by zoning and farm compliance |
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.
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