Can you keep chickens in Borough of Freehold, NJ?
Yes, with a Board of Health permit. Freehold Borough allows up to 6 hens per residential lot, kept in a rear-yard coop and run, and roosters are not permitted.
The rules at a glance
| Chickens allowed | Yes, with conditions |
| Hens | Up to 6 hens |
| Roosters | Prohibited |
| Permit | Required: annual Board of Health permit, $50 first year, $20 renewal |
| Coop setback | Rear yard only; 10 ft from property lines, 15 ft from your house, 25 ft from a neighbor's house |
| Lot size | No minimum stated |
| Rule adopted | Sept 2020 |
Good to know
- The six-hen cap applies per building or residential lot, no matter how many units are on it.
- Applicants must show proof of a backyard chicken course; two-family and multifamily homes need consent from all residents, and condos or rentals need the landlord or association's consent.
- No egg sales, breeding or slaughter on the property; hens must stay in an enclosure (5 sq ft per bird) and a locked henhouse at night (3 sq ft per bird).
- Violations carry fines up to $1,250 per offense, and the Board of Health can order the birds and coop removed.
- The zoning code says any use not listed for a zone is prohibited, and the residential lists do not mention chickens; the Board of Health permit is the specific rule.
Source: Borough of Freehold Code (Municode), § 8.56.280(D), Domestic animals: Chickens (view the ordinance)
Verified 2026-09. Ordinances change and zoning can differ by district; always confirm the current rules with the Borough of Freehold clerk or zoning office before you build.
Chicken rules in nearby Monmouth County towns
Compare them side by side in the Monmouth County table.
AberdeenAllenhurstAllentownAsbury ParkAtlantic HighlandsAvon-by-the-SeaBelmarBradley BeachBrielleColts NeckDealEatontownEnglishtownFair HavenFarmingdaleTownship of FreeholdHazletHighlandsHolmdelHowellInterlakenKeansburgKeyportLake ComoLittle SilverLoch ArbourLong BranchManalapanManasquanMarlboroMatawanMiddletownMillstoneMonmouth BeachNeptuneNeptune CityOceanOceanportRed BankRooseveltRumsonSea BrightSea GirtBorough of ShrewsburyTownship of ShrewsburySpring LakeSpring Lake HeightsTinton FallsUnion BeachUpper FreeholdWallWest Long Branch
Building a coop in Borough of Freehold?
Triano Farms builds custom, predator-proof chicken coops on-site across MonmouthCounty 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.