NJ chicken rules · Bergen County
Can you keep chickens in Borough of Saddle River, NJ?
Saddle River allows backyard hens under a Board of Health license (with a plan review) and an 8-foot property-line setback. Roosters and other noisy fowl are prohibited.
The rules at a glance
| Chickens allowed | Yes, with conditions |
| Hens | No stated limit (density capped at 1 bird per 3 sq ft of coop floor) |
| Roosters | Prohibited |
| Permit | Required (Board of Health license; $10 fowl fee plus $100 plan review) |
| Coop setback | 8 ft from property lines; 30 ft from dwellings; 200 ft from food establishments |
| Lot size | — |
Good to know
- A Board of Health license is required before keeping poultry, even non-commercially, and coop plans must be approved.
- Coops need concrete floors, roosts, and drop boards, and must be kept clean and inspected.
- Coop construction must also comply with the zoning chapter.
Source: Borough of Saddle River Code, Ch. 219, Art. II (eCode360), § 219-5, 219-6, 219-8 — view the ordinance
Verified 2026-09. Ordinances change and zoning can differ by district — always confirm the current rules with the Borough of Saddle River clerk or zoning office before you build.
Building a coop in Borough of Saddle River?
Triano Farms builds custom, predator-proof chicken coops on-site across BergenCounty 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.
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