Can you keep chickens in Township of Pittsgrove, NJ?
Yes, within limits. The code sets no cap on a small backyard flock, but more than 10 birds per acre makes the property an intensive fowl farm, which needs at least 10 acres and site plan approval.
The rules at a glance
| Chickens allowed | Yes, with conditions |
| Hens | No stated limit below 10 birds per acre |
| Roosters | Not specified |
| Permit | Not specified for a small flock; site plan approval required for an intensive fowl farm |
| Coop setback | Intensive fowl farms: enclosures and waste storage at least 200 ft from any property or street line |
| Lot size | No minimum stated |
| Rule adopted | Nov 2002 |
Good to know
- Fowl is defined as chickens, turkeys, guinea hens, capons, geese, ducks, swans, ostriches, emus or similar birds.
- A farm means a parcel of five or more acres used for raising crops, livestock, poultry or dairy products.
- The right to farm is recognized throughout the township for parcels of five or more acres.
- Chapter 40, Dogs and Other Animals, and Chapter 109, Nuisances, Public Health, set no limit on keeping fowl.
Source: Township of Pittsgrove Code (eCode360), § 60-78, Intensive fowl and livestock farms (view the ordinance)
Verified 2026-09. Ordinances change and zoning can differ by district; always confirm the current rules with the Township of Pittsgrove clerk or zoning office before you build.
Chicken rules in nearby Salem County towns
Building a coop in Township of Pittsgrove?
Triano Farms builds custom, predator-proof chicken coops on-site across SalemCounty 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.
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.