Can you keep chickens in Township of Downe, NJ?
Yes in the R-1, R-2 and V-1 zones, where Downe's zoning permits farming and defines agriculture to include raising poultry. In R-1, manure cannot be stored within 100 feet of any property line.
The rules at a glance
| Chickens allowed | Yes, with conditions |
| Hens | No stated limit |
| Roosters | Not specified |
| Permit | Not specified |
| Coop setback | Manure storage 100 ft from property lines (R-1) |
| Lot size | No minimum stated |
Good to know
- Agriculture is defined to include the raising or breeding of poultry.
- R-1 permits customary and conventional farming; R-2 permits farms; V-1 and V-2 allow the R-1 agricultural uses.
- Uses not listed need a use variance.
- Source is the 1979 zoning ordinance as revised in 2000, posted as a scanned PDF; Downe does not publish a codified code online, so animal or health ordinances could not be checked.
Source: Downe Township Zoning Ordinance (township website PDF), Sections 201 (Agriculture) and 501-503 (view the ordinance)
Verified 2026-09. Ordinances change and zoning can differ by district; always confirm the current rules with the Township of Downe clerk or zoning office before you build.
Chicken rules in nearby Cumberland County towns
Compare them side by side in the Cumberland County table.
Building a coop in Township of Downe?
Triano Farms builds custom, predator-proof chicken coops on-site across CumberlandCounty 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.