Can you keep chickens in Township of North Brunswick, NJ?
North Brunswick lets residents keep up to 8 hens (no roosters) with a zoning permit, on a lot of at least 50 by 100 feet, in a rear-yard coop that meets the setback rules.
The rules at a glance
| Chickens allowed | Yes |
| Hens | Up to 8 female chickens |
| Roosters | Prohibited |
| Permit | Required (zoning permit from the Department of Community Development) |
| Coop setback | Coop at least 10 ft from property lines and 30 ft from a dwelling on adjoining property; rear yard only; coop up to 60 sq ft |
| Lot size | Minimum lot 50 ft by 100 ft (5,000 sq ft) |
| Ducks | Allowed with conditions |
Good to know
- Zoning treats four poultry as one livestock animal and sets the 5,000 sq ft minimum.
- The zoning and animals chapters differ on the coop setback (20 ft vs 10 ft); confirm which controls with the township.
- Current as of 2026 amendments.
What about ducks?
Only on 5 acres or more. North Brunswick's small-lot exception is for hens only; ducks are poultry, treated as pastoral animals needing at least 5 acres, an acre of open area per 4 birds, and 100 feet from property lines.
§ 205-7 (Poultry, Chicken); § 205-42: "A minimum of five acres of land are required for the keeping of pastoral animals on any residential property, except that a minimum residential lot size of 50 feet by 100 feet is required to keep chickens" Duck coops we build.
Building a coop in Township of North Brunswick?
Triano Farms builds custom, predator-proof chicken coops on-site across Middlesex 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 Middlesex County towns
Compare them side by side in the Middlesex 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.