Can you keep chickens in Rockaway Township, NJ?
Yes. Rockaway scales hens by lot: up to 4 under an acre, 10 on 1 to 3 acres, and 24 on more than 3 acres. Roosters are prohibited, a zoning permit is required, and the coop goes in a side or rear yard at least 20 feet from any property line.
The rules at a glance
| Chickens allowed | Yes, with conditions |
| Hens | 4 (<1 acre), 10 (1–3 acres), 24 (>3 acres) |
| Roosters | Prohibited |
| Permit | Zoning permit required |
| Coop setback | Side or rear yard; 10 ft from your dwelling, 20 ft from any property line |
| Lot size | No minimum; density scales with acreage |
| Ducks | Allowed with conditions |
Good to know
- Shelter at least 2 sq ft per chicken; run 12 sq ft per chicken; fencing 4–6 ft.
- Predator-proof; no slaughtering, no retail sales, no running at large.
- Adopted September 2024.
What about ducks?
Rockaway's backyard chicken ordinance says in so many words that it does not cover ducks. Ducks stay under the older farm animal rule: at least five acres in the R-5AC, R-88 or R-40 districts.
§ 54-30.8B(7) (Ord. O-24-14): "The term "chicken" shall not be interpreted to include turkeys, ducks, geese, pigeons, quails, or other members of the order." Duck coops we build.
Building a coop in Rockaway Township?
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.