Can you keep chickens in Borough of Harvey Cedars, NJ?
No. Harvey Cedars makes it unlawful to keep, breed or quarter livestock or fowl anywhere in the borough, and fowl is defined to include chickens and hens.
The rules at a glance
| Chickens allowed | No |
| Hens | Not permitted |
| Roosters | Prohibited |
| Permit | Not available (chickens are banned) |
| Coop setback | Not applicable |
| Lot size | Not specified |
| Ducks | Not allowed (same rule as chickens) |
Good to know
- Fowl is defined as any chicken, hen, turkey, goose, duck, emu, ostrich or other farm poultry, plus pigeons.
- The ban does not cover cats, dogs or other domestic animals allowed elsewhere in the chapter.
- Ordinance 2026-010 (adopted April 20, 2026, not yet in the code) rewrote §§ 6-1 to 6-3.2, kept the fowl definition and left § 6-5 in place.
- That ordinance also defines crowing as nuisance conduct.
What about ducks?
No. Harvey Cedars bans keeping livestock or fowl anywhere in the borough, and its definition of fowl includes ducks.
§ 6-1; § 6-5: "FOWL Any chicken, hen, turkey, goose, duck, emu, ostrich, or any other fowl or poultry customarily found on a farm, and pigeons." Duck coops we build.
We build across Ocean County
Borough of Harvey Cedars doesn't allow backyard chickens today, but ordinances change, and we build custom sheds and animal structures on-site throughout Ocean County and all of New Jersey. If a coop is in your plans, we can help you sort out where it's allowed nearby.
Chicken rules in nearby Ocean County towns
Compare them side by side in the Ocean 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.