Can you keep chickens in Borough of Riverdale, NJ?
Yes, but only on lots of 1 acre or more, at 3 birds per acre, with a Board of Health permit. Crowing roosters are banned.
The rules at a glance
| Chickens allowed | Yes, with conditions |
| Hens | Up to 3 per acre |
| Roosters | Crowing roosters prohibited |
| Permit | Required: Board of Health license or permit |
| Coop setback | 25 ft from side and rear lot lines; 100 ft from a neighboring dwelling and 50 ft from the house on the lot |
| Lot size | Min. 1 acre |
| Ducks | Same rules as chickens |
Good to know
- Zoning requires 16 sq ft of housing per bird; the health code allows no more than 1 bird per 3 sq ft of coop floor.
- Birds must be confined to coops or runs and may not fly or run at large.
- Droppings must be removed at least weekly, and feed stored in ratproof containers.
- Animals must belong to the residents of the lot, and the outdoor area cannot sit closer to the street than the required front yard.
What about ducks?
Yes, on 1 acre or more. Riverdale's zoning limit is written for 'poultry,' which its code defines to include ducks, so ducks share the same 1-acre minimum, 3 birds per acre and Board of Health permit.
§ 168-36B; § 176-2A; Ch. 176 Art. XII: "POULTRY Includes chickens, ducks, geese, turkeys, guinea fowl, pigeons and all other fowl commonly kept, raised and sold" Duck coops we build.
Building a coop in Borough of Riverdale?
Triano Farms builds custom, predator-proof chicken coops on-site across Morris 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 Morris County towns
Compare them side by side in the Morris 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.