NJ chicken rules · Essex County
Can you keep chickens in Township of Fairfield, NJ?
Fairfield allows a small number of hens (no roosters), a handful without a permit and more only with a Board of Health permit, with the coop set 50 feet from neighbors' doors and windows and 10 feet from property lines.
The rules at a glance
| Chickens allowed | Yes, with conditions |
| Hens | Up to 4 without a permit (the code also references a 6-fowl limit); more requires a permit |
| Roosters | Prohibited |
| Permit | Board of Health permit required above the un-permitted number; a separate permit to sell live poultry; fee about $10 |
| Coop setback | No coop within 50 ft of a neighboring dwelling's doors or windows, or within 10 ft of a property line |
| Lot size | No minimum for fowl (the 2-3 acre thresholds apply only to horses) |
Good to know
- The code carries both a "four" and a "six" figure for fowl; treat 4 as the no-permit threshold and confirm the rest with the Board of Health.
- Fowl may not run at large and may not be kept inside a dwelling; coops need moisture-proof floors.
- This is the Essex County Fairfield, not Fairfield Township in Cumberland County.
Source: Township of Fairfield (Essex Co.) Revised General Ordinances, Ch. 8 (eCode360), § 8-3 — view the ordinance
Verified 2026-09. Ordinances change and zoning can differ by district — always confirm the current rules with the Township of Fairfield clerk or zoning office before you build.
Building a coop in Township of Fairfield?
Triano Farms builds custom, predator-proof chicken coops on-site across EssexCounty and all of New Jersey, sized to your flock and built to your town's rules.
New to this? Start with how to raise chickens in NJ, or what a coop costs.
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