Can you keep chickens in City of Garfield, NJ?
Yes, with a permit from the Health Officer. Chickens count as small animals under the city health code, and the coop must sit at least 25 feet from every property line.
The rules at a glance
| Chickens allowed | Yes, with conditions |
| Hens | No stated limit |
| Roosters | Not covered by the permit (small animals excludes roosters) |
| Permit | Required: Health Officer permit ($100 a year listed for more than 5 animals) |
| Coop setback | Coop at least 25 feet from any property line |
| Lot size | No minimum stated |
| Ducks | Not addressed in the code |
Good to know
- Coop must have more than 8 square feet of floor space and be more than 2 feet high, unless the Health Officer allows smaller.
- Coop must be dry, ventilated, cleaned daily and rebedded with fresh straw, leaves or similar material.
- The Health Officer can refuse a permit if the animals would be a nuisance or harm neighborhood health.
- Animals may not run at large and must stay on the licensed premises. Permits run for the calendar year.
What about ducks?
Unclear. Garfield's permit rule for small animals names chickens but not ducks, and the code never mentions ducks, so ask the Health Officer whether ducks qualify.
§ 260-2; §§ 260-13 to 260-18: "SMALL ANIMALS Includes rabbits, cats, dogs, guinea pigs, chickens, excluding roosters, and any other small" Duck coops we build.
Building a coop in City of Garfield?
Triano Farms builds custom, predator-proof chicken coops on-site across Bergen 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 Bergen County towns
Compare them side by side in the Bergen 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.