NJ chicken rules · Bergen County
Can you keep chickens in Borough of Franklin Lakes, NJ?
Franklin Lakes requires a Board of Health license once you keep six or more birds; a flock of fewer than six isn't covered by the poultry ordinance at all. Coops must sit apart from any dwelling, with the exact distances set by the land-use code.
The rules at a glance
| Chickens allowed | Yes, with conditions |
| Hens | No set maximum; a license is required at 6 or more birds |
| Roosters | Not specified |
| Permit | Required for 6 or more birds |
| Coop setback | Coop must be apart from any dwelling; distances set by the zoning code |
| Lot size | — |
Good to know
- Fewer than 6 birds fall outside the ordinance's definition of poultry (§ 505-18).
- Birds over 20 weeks old need at least 1.5 sq ft of coop floor each (§ 505-19J).
- Exact coop setbacks are governed by the Land Use chapter (Ch. 300), not this article.
Source: Borough of Franklin Lakes Code, Ch. 505, Art. V (eCode360), § 505-18, 505-19 — view the ordinance
Verified 2026-09. Ordinances change and zoning can differ by district — always confirm the current rules with the Borough of Franklin Lakes clerk or zoning office before you build.
Building a coop in Borough of Franklin Lakes?
Triano Farms builds custom, predator-proof chicken coops on-site across BergenCounty 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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