Can you keep chickens in Lafayette Township, NJ?
Yes, as an agricultural use. Lafayette has no dedicated chicken ordinance; keeping poultry is a recognized farm and animal-husbandry use. The main rule is that a poultry or livestock shelter can't sit closer than 50 feet to any property line.
The rules at a glance
| Chickens allowed | Yes, with conditions |
| Hens | No numeric limit |
| Roosters | Not specified |
| Permit | Not specified (agriculture is a permitted use) |
| Coop setback | 50 ft from any property line (poultry/livestock shelter) |
| Lot size | No minimum specified |
| Ducks | Same rules as chickens |
Good to know
- 'Agriculture' includes animal husbandry as a permitted use; the township has a Right to Farm chapter.
- Accessory structures may not be used as a residence.
What about ducks?
Yes, as an agricultural use. Lafayette's code defines poultry to include ducks, so ducks follow the same rule as hens: any poultry shelter must sit at least 50 feet from other property lines.
§ 5-1.1 (Poultry); Ch. 13 Zoning: "POULTRY Shall mean chickens, ducks, geese, turkeys, guinea fowl, pigeons, pheasants and all other fowl or winged animals." Duck coops we build.
Building a coop in Lafayette Township?
Triano Farms builds custom, predator-proof chicken coops on-site across Sussex 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 Sussex County towns
Compare them side by side in the Sussex 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.