Can you keep chickens in Township of Franklin, NJ?
Franklin lets residents keep 2 to 6 or more hens (no roosters) on lots of at least 10,000 sq ft with a $25 Animal Control permit, a rear-yard coop set back from lines and water, and no commercial sales.
The rules at a glance
| Chickens allowed | Yes, with conditions |
| Hens | By lot size: 2 (10,000–19,999 sf), 4 (20,000–39,999 sf), 6 (40,000–59,999 sf), plus 4 for each additional 20,000 sf |
| Roosters | Prohibited |
| Permit | Required ($25, valid 1 year, renewed annually at no cost, via the Animal Control Officer) |
| Coop setback | Rear yard only; 10 ft from any property line, 25 ft from a neighbor's habitable structure, 50 ft from any water source |
| Lot size | Minimum 10,000 sq ft |
| Ducks | Not addressed in the code |
Good to know
- Personal use only: selling eggs or meat and on-site slaughter are prohibited.
- Coop capped at 80 sq ft and 6 ft high (2 sq ft per bird); run 10 sq ft per bird; waste removed every 3 days.
- Egg-laying poultry other than chickens are prohibited; not protected by the NJ Right-to-Farm Act.
What about ducks?
Unclear. Franklin's backyard permit covers chickens only (defined as Gallus gallus domesticus), and the code has no duck rule, so ask Animal Control before keeping ducks.
§§ 115-48, 115-49: "CHICKEN A domesticated bird of the species Gallus gallus domesticus, raised for the purpose of laying eggs or for meat." Duck coops we build.
Building a coop in Township of Franklin?
Triano Farms builds custom, predator-proof chicken coops on-site across Somerset County 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.
Chicken rules in nearby Somerset County towns
Compare them side by side in the Somerset County table.
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.