Can you keep chickens in Borough of Madison, NJ?
Madison lets a homeowner keep up to 6 hens (no roosters) with an annual $25 Health Department permit plus zoning approval, in a coop no larger than 36 sq ft kept back from lot lines and neighboring homes.
The rules at a glance
| Chickens allowed | Yes, with conditions |
| Hens | Up to 6 mature hens per permit |
| Roosters | Prohibited |
| Permit | Required (Health Department permit, $25/year, plus conditional zoning approval first) |
| Coop setback | At least 15 ft from any property line or 50 ft from an adjacent dwelling, whichever is greater; not within 200 ft of a food establishment |
| Lot size | No minimum stated (a current survey showing the coop location is required) |
| Ducks | Not addressed in the code |
Good to know
- Coop capped at 36 sq ft, coop plus run at 100 sq ft; a relocation needs a new permit.
- Predator-resistant construction, airtight feed storage, and bagged or composted manure required.
- Governed by the Board of Health "Managed Care of Chickens" chapter plus a zoning section.
What about ducks?
Unclear. Madison's code and permit program address chickens only (the permit form mentions 'live poultry' but sets rules just for hens), and ducks are never mentioned, so ask the Health Department.
Ch. 218 § 2(14); Ch. 203 Art. II: "The keeping of chickens, except by special written permit issued" Duck coops we build.
Building a coop in Borough of Madison?
Triano Farms builds custom, predator-proof chicken coops on-site across Morris 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 Morris County towns
Compare them side by side in the Morris 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.