Can you keep chickens in Newton, NJ?
Yes. Newton allows up to 5 hens on a residential lot. Roosters are prohibited, the coop must sit in the rear yard at least 25 feet from any dwelling, and there is no minimum lot size.
The rules at a glance
| Chickens allowed | Yes, with conditions |
| Hens | Up to 5 hens |
| Roosters | Prohibited |
| Permit | Not specified |
| Coop setback | 5 ft from a fenced line, 10 ft from an unfenced line, 25 ft from any dwelling |
| Lot size | No minimum stated |
| Ducks | Not addressed in the code |
Good to know
- One shelter per lot; the shelter maxes out at 100 sq ft, shelter plus run at 150 sq ft, and the coop at 6 ft tall.
- Manure and waste must be kept at least 10 ft from any lot line and 25 ft from any dwelling.
- Slaughtering chickens in public view is prohibited.
- Farms and the Newton High School agricultural program are exempt.
What about ducks?
Unclear. Newton's backyard rule covers chickens only, and nothing in the code mentions ducks, so check with the town before getting ducks.
§ 57-1, § 57-4: "The keeping of chickens in the Town of Newton, other than for farm and agricultural uses permitted per Code § 320-28J, shall be subject to the following requirements" Duck coops we build.
Building a coop in Newton?
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.