Can you keep chickens in City of Gloucester City, NJ?
Yes, with a permit. Up to 3 hens are allowed only on single-family lots in the R-L zone that are at least 50 by 100 feet, with a $50 annual permit and a coop at least 20 feet from the property line.
The rules at a glance
| Chickens allowed | Yes, with conditions |
| Hens | Up to 3 hens |
| Roosters | Prohibited |
| Permit | Required: $50 annual permit |
| Coop setback | 20 ft from property line; rear yard only |
| Lot size | Min. 0.11 acres (50 by 100 ft) |
| Rule adopted | Feb 2016 |
Good to know
- Fowl are allowed only in the R-L zone, and not on multifamily, duplex or commercial properties.
- The Zoning Officer approves the permit, and an inspection happens each year with the annual fee.
- The shelter may be at most 60 square feet and 8 feet tall, raised 2 feet off the ground on a concrete or brick base.
- Slaughtering is not allowed anywhere in the city.
Source: Gloucester City Code (eCode360), § 33-1, Standard for keeping chickens and other domestic fowl (view the ordinance)
Verified 2026-09. Ordinances change and zoning can differ by district; always confirm the current rules with the City of Gloucester City clerk or zoning office before you build.
Chicken rules in nearby Camden County towns
Compare them side by side in the Camden County table.
AudubonAudubon ParkBarringtonBellmawrBorough of BerlinTownship of BerlinBrooklawnCity of CamdenCherry HillChesilhurstClementonCollingswoodGibbsboroGloucesterHaddonHaddon HeightsHaddonfieldHi-NellaLaurel SpringsLawnsideLindenwoldMagnoliaMerchantvilleMount EphraimOaklynPennsaukenPine HillRunnemedeSomerdaleStratfordTavistockVoorheesWaterfordWinslowWoodlynne
Building a coop in City of Gloucester City?
Triano Farms builds custom, predator-proof chicken coops on-site across CamdenCounty 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.