Can you keep chickens in Borough of South Toms River, NJ?
Unclear. The borough code does not mention chickens, hens or poultry anywhere, so there is no stated permission and no stated ban. Ask the Borough Zoning Officer before you build a coop.
The rules at a glance
| Chickens allowed | Unclear |
| Hens | Not specified |
| Roosters | Not specified |
| Permit | Not specified |
| Coop setback | Not specified |
| Lot size | No minimum stated |
Good to know
- Chapter 5, Animal Control, covers only dogs, cats and wildlife feeding. It has no poultry article.
- Chapter 26, Land Development Regulations, lists permitted principal and accessory uses for the R-7, R-10, R-15 and CR residential zones and never lists agriculture, farms or the keeping of animals.
- Code-wide searches for chicken, poultry, fowl, livestock and agriculture returned only a flood-damage definition and a kennel definition, neither of which regulates backyard hens.
Source: Borough of South Toms River Code (eCode360), Ch. 5, Animal Control (no poultry provision) (view the ordinance)
Verified 2026-09. Ordinances change and zoning can differ by district; always confirm the current rules with the Borough of South Toms River clerk or zoning office before you build.
Building a coop in Borough of South Toms River?
Triano Farms builds custom, predator-proof chicken coops on-site across OceanCounty 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.