NJ chicken rules · Bergen County
Can you keep chickens in Mahwah Township, NJ?
Mahwah allows keeping hens with an annual Board of Health license, but roosters are prohibited. Coops must sit at least 100 feet from any property line and 50 feet from any dwelling, with concrete floors and daily manure removal.
The rules at a glance
| Chickens allowed | Yes, with conditions |
| Hens | No stated limit (license fee scales with flock size) |
| Roosters | Prohibited |
| Permit | Required (annual Board of Health license) |
| Coop setback | 100 ft from property lines; 50 ft from dwellings; 200 ft from food establishments |
| Lot size | — |
Good to know
- The Board of Health license renews by April 1 each year (§ BH6-1.1).
- Coops need concrete floors, roosts, drop boards, and daily manure removal (§ BH6-2).
- Roosters and pigeons are prohibited, and keeping fowl for sale is not authorized.
Source: Township of Mahwah Board of Health Code, Ch. BH6 (eCode360), § BH6-1.1, BH6-2 — view the ordinance
Verified 2026-09. Ordinances change and zoning can differ by district — always confirm the current rules with the Mahwah Township clerk or zoning office before you build.
Building a coop in Mahwah Township?
Triano Farms builds custom, predator-proof chicken coops on-site across BergenCounty 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.
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