Can you keep chickens in Township of Deptford, NJ?
Yes, with a license. Deptford allows up to six chickens per license and no roosters, for a $10 annual license from the Municipal Clerk.
The rules at a glance
| Chickens allowed | Yes, with conditions |
| Hens | Up to 6 chickens |
| Roosters | Prohibited |
| Permit | Required: $10 annual license from the Municipal Clerk |
| Coop setback | Coop and run at least 20 feet from a neighboring home and 10 feet from the property line |
| Lot size | No minimum stated |
| Rule adopted | Dec 2023 |
Good to know
- Ordinance O.25.23, adopted December 4, 2023, replaced the 2020 pilot program with permanent rules in Article V of the Unified Development Ordinance.
- Open to residents of single-family, twin and row homes; HOA properties need written HOA permission.
- Licenses expire December 31 each year and the coop is inspected before a license is granted.
- No on-site slaughter and no selling of eggs.
Source: Township of Deptford Ordinance O.25.23 (eCode360 document library), Ord. No. O.25.23, Section 1, amending Article V of the Unified Development Ordinance (view the ordinance)
Verified 2026-09. Ordinances change and zoning can differ by district; always confirm the current rules with the Township of Deptford clerk or zoning office before you build.
Chicken rules in nearby Gloucester County towns
Building a coop in Township of Deptford?
Triano Farms builds custom, predator-proof chicken coops on-site across GloucesterCounty and all of New Jersey, sized to your flock and built to your town's rules.
In an HOA? The town allowing hens is not the same as your association allowing them. What an HOA can and cannot stop.
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.