NJ chicken rules · Somerset County
Can you keep chickens in Borough of Peapack and Gladstone, NJ?
Peapack-Gladstone has no dedicated backyard-chicken ordinance. Keeping poultry is legal only as an agricultural use on the borough's large rural-zone lots (5 acres in RE, 3 in RR-5), with a 50-ft setback, and is not permitted on ordinary residential lots.
The rules at a glance
| Chickens allowed | Yes, with conditions |
| Hens | No numeric limit (regulated as agriculture) |
| Roosters | No specific provision |
| Permit | None specific to fowl (standard zoning/building permits for structures) |
| Coop setback | At least 50 ft from any property line, or 100 ft where fronting a public right-of-way (RE/RR-5 zones) |
| Lot size | RE zone 5-acre minimum; RR-5 zone 3-acre minimum |
Good to know
- Agriculture is a principal permitted use only in the RE and RR-5 rural zones; on smaller residential lots an unlisted use needs a variance.
- Slaughterhouses and animal-processing operations are prohibited borough-wide.
- The Right to Farm ordinance protects only qualifying commercial farms.
Source: Borough of Peapack & Gladstone Code, Ch. 23 Land Development, Art. IV Zoning (eCode360), § 23-39.1 — view the ordinance
Verified 2026-09. Ordinances change and zoning can differ by district — always confirm the current rules with the Borough of Peapack and Gladstone clerk or zoning office before you build.
Building a coop in Borough of Peapack and Gladstone?
Triano Farms builds custom, predator-proof chicken coops on-site across SomersetCounty 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.