Can you keep chickens in Denville Township, NJ?
No. Denville prohibits keeping poultry on any property smaller than 5 acres, which rules out backyard hens on a standard residential lot. Only lots of 5 acres or more may keep chickens, ducks, geese, or turkeys.
The rules at a glance
| Chickens allowed | No |
| Hens | Not allowed under 5 acres |
| Roosters | Not specified |
| Permit | Not specified |
| Coop setback | Not specified (the '250 ft' figure online is not in the current code) |
| Lot size | Minimum 5 acres |
| Ducks | Not allowed (same rule as chickens) |
Good to know
- "Poultry" is defined broadly to include chickens, ducks, geese, pheasants, and turkeys.
- The 5-acre rule was added in June 2016.
- This effectively bans backyard hens on typical residential lots.
What about ducks?
Ducks fall under the same ban as chickens. Denville bars keeping any poultry, which it defines to include ducks, on property smaller than five acres.
§ 128-1; § 128-10: "POULTRY Domesticated fowl, including chickens, ducks, geese, pheasants and turkeys." Duck coops we build.
We build across Morris County
Denville Township doesn't allow backyard chickens today, but ordinances change, and we build custom sheds and animal structures on-site throughout Morris County and all of New Jersey. If a coop is in your plans, we can help you sort out where it's allowed nearby.
Chicken rules in nearby Morris County towns
Compare them side by side in the Morris County table.
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.