NJ chicken rules · Hunterdon County
Can you keep chickens in Township of Franklin, NJ?
Franklin Township treats poultry as part of farms and agriculture, a permitted use in its rural AR-7 and RR-5 zones under the Right-to-Farm section. There's no separate small-flock ordinance with a set number, just a confinement and nuisance rule.
The rules at a glance
| Chickens allowed | Yes, with conditions |
| Hens | Not specified (no numeric limit) |
| Roosters | Not specified |
| Permit | Zoning permit for uses generally; no poultry-specific permit |
| Coop setback | Not specified for poultry; farm structures follow the schedule of zone requirements |
| Lot size | Poultry rides on the "farms/agriculture" permitted use in the AR-7 (7-acre) and RR-5 (5-acre) zones |
Good to know
- The animals chapter is a health/nuisance rule requiring confinement in a durable building; it sets no hen count.
- Farms and agriculture are a permitted use subject to the right-to-farm section.
- This is the Hunterdon County Franklin Township; Somerset's Franklin has a different 10-bird/no-rooster rule that does NOT apply here.
Source: Township of Franklin (Hunterdon) Code, Ch. 220 & Ch. 151 (eCode360), § 220-10; §§ 151-32 to 151-33 — view the ordinance
Verified 2026-09. Ordinances change and zoning can differ by district — always confirm the current rules with the Township of Franklin clerk or zoning office before you build.
Building a coop in Township of Franklin?
Triano Farms builds custom, predator-proof chicken coops on-site across HunterdonCounty 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.
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.