Can you keep chickens in Borough of Island Heights, NJ?
Unclear. The code never mentions chickens or poultry, but its zoning chapter says any use not expressly listed is prohibited, and the residential permitted use lists do not include keeping animals. Ask the Zoning Officer first.
The rules at a glance
| Chickens allowed | Unclear |
| Hens | Not specified |
| Roosters | Not specified |
| Permit | Not specified |
| Coop setback | Not specified |
| Lot size | No minimum stated |
Good to know
- Section 32-7 states that all uses not expressly included in the ordinances are prohibited.
- Section 32-4.3 lists the permitted accessory uses in the Medium Density and Low Density Residential Districts as private garages, private swimming pools, fences, sheds and any subordinate use incidental to the main use.
- Chapter 8, Animal Control, covers only dogs, cats and the feeding of wildlife and water fowl.
- Chapter 23 adopts the Public Health Nuisance Code of New Jersey (1953) and adds no poultry rules. Zoning Ordinances 2025-12 and 2025-13 change only bulk standards and fences.
Source: Borough of Island Heights Code (eCode360), § 32-7, Prohibited Uses (see also § 32-4.3, Permitted Accessory Uses) (view the ordinance)
Verified 2026-09. Ordinances change and zoning can differ by district; always confirm the current rules with the Borough of Island Heights clerk or zoning office before you build.
Building a coop in Borough of Island Heights?
Triano Farms builds custom, predator-proof chicken coops on-site across OceanCounty 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.