Can you keep chickens in Township of Hopewell, NJ?
Hopewell Township (Mercer County) allows up to 6 hens on a half-acre, and more with more land, under a zoning shelter permit. Mature roosters are prohibited, and coops must sit 25 feet from any property line.
The rules at a glance
| Chickens allowed | Yes, with conditions |
| Hens | Up to 6 on a half-acre, plus 4 more per additional half-acre |
| Roosters | Prohibited (mature roosters; limited certified breeding visits allowed) |
| Permit | Required (zoning shelter permit) |
| Coop setback | 25 ft from property lines; 50 ft from an adjoining home; rear yard only |
| Lot size | Minimum 1/2 acre |
| Ducks | Not addressed in the code |
Good to know
- The shelter is capped at 150 sq ft and 14 ft high.
- Manure must be kept 25 ft from lot lines and 50 ft from an adjoining home.
- Keeping chickens is treated as home agriculture under the township's Right to Farm chapter.
What about ducks?
Hopewell Township's backyard standards cover chickens only (1/2 acre minimum, up to six birds). Home agriculture includes poultry for household use, but the code does not define poultry or mention ducks, so confirm with the township.
§ 5-3.4; § 22-3: "Chickens kept pursuant to the definition of "home agriculture" set forth in Chapter 22, Section 22-3 of the Right to Farm Ordinance shall be subject to the following requirements" Duck coops we build.
Building a coop in Township of Hopewell?
Triano Farms builds custom, predator-proof chicken coops on-site across Mercer 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 Mercer County towns
Compare them side by side in the Mercer 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.