NJ chicken rules · Mercer County
Can you keep chickens in Township of Lawrence, NJ?
Lawrence Township permits hens (no roosters) in all residential zones under a $25 zoning permit, with the count set by lot size and coops kept 10 feet off the property line and 30 feet from a neighbor's house.
The rules at a glance
| Chickens allowed | Yes, with conditions |
| Hens | 2 to 6, scaled by lot size (2 at 5,000 sq ft, up to 6 at 40,000) |
| Roosters | Prohibited (males removed before 3 months or first crow) |
| Permit | Required ($25 home-agriculture zoning permit) |
| Coop setback | 10 ft from property lines or same-lot structures; 30 ft from an adjacent home; rear yard only |
| Lot size | Minimum 5,000 sq ft |
Good to know
- The coop is fully enclosed and capped at 6 ft high; the run runs 100 to 400 sq ft.
- Setups can't interfere with drainage swales or septic fields.
- Treated as home agriculture under the Land Development Ordinance.
Source: Township of Lawrence, Home Agriculture Application (Land Development Ordinance), § 429.H — view the ordinance
Verified 2026-09. Ordinances change and zoning can differ by district — always confirm the current rules with the Township of Lawrence clerk or zoning office before you build.
Building a coop in Township of Lawrence?
Triano Farms builds custom, predator-proof chicken coops on-site across MercerCounty 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.