NJ chicken rules · Somerset County
Can you keep chickens in Township of Green Brook, NJ?
Green Brook allows keeping farm animals, chickens included, with a 50-ft enclosure setback on 3-acre-plus lots in the LD-3 zone by right, or 2-acre-plus lots in LD-1/MD by conditional-use approval, with numbers scaled to lot size.
The rules at a glance
| Chickens allowed | Yes, with conditions |
| Hens | No numeric limit; scaled to the size of the property |
| Roosters | No specific provision |
| Permit | None in LD-3 (as of right); conditional-use approval required in the LD-1 and MD zones |
| Coop setback | Enclosure at least 50 ft from any lot line; not between the front building line and the street; must be fully enclosed |
| Lot size | LD-3 minimum 3 acres; LD-1/MD conditional use minimum 2 acres |
Good to know
- "Farm animals" is the operative term and chickens fall within it; keeping is permitted only in the LD-3, LD-1, and MD zones.
- Commercial operations (piggeries, fur farms, kennels, pigeon lofts) are expressly excluded.
- Zoning text is from the township's posted ordinance rather than a versioned eCode360 page, so confirm with the clerk before building.
Source: Township of Green Brook Land Development/Zoning Ordinance, Art. 6, § 601.1-5; § 716 — view the ordinance
Verified 2026-09. Ordinances change and zoning can differ by district — always confirm the current rules with the Township of Green Brook clerk or zoning office before you build.
Building a coop in Township of Green Brook?
Triano Farms builds custom, predator-proof chicken coops on-site across SomersetCounty 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.