Can you keep chickens in Borough of Swedesboro, NJ?
Yes, on lots of at least a quarter acre with a $25 yearly license. The cap is 4 to 8 hens depending on lot size.
The rules at a glance
| Chickens allowed | Yes, with conditions |
| Hens | 4 hens (1/4 acre), 6 (up to 1 acre), 8 (over 1 acre) |
| Roosters | Prohibited |
| Permit | Required: $25 annual license |
| Coop setback | Rear yard; 15 ft from any property line; 30 ft from neighbors' windows and doors |
| Lot size | Min. 1/4 acre |
| Rule adopted | Sept 2021 |
| Ducks | Not addressed in the code |
Good to know
- Allowed in all residential zones; the zoning officer confirms lot size before a license is issued.
- Applicants must certify no deed restriction bars chickens and submit a drawing of the coop location.
- Coops max 128 sq. ft. and 8 ft tall; runs need a 6-ft fence.
- No slaughter on site and no selling of eggs.
What about ducks?
Unclear. Swedesboro's license program covers backyard chicken hens only, and the code does not mention keeping ducks. Ask the borough before getting ducks.
Ch. 89, Art. VI, §§ 89-39 to 89-46: "The keeping of backyard chicken hens is hereby authorized." Duck coops we build.
Building a coop in Borough of Swedesboro?
Triano Farms builds custom, predator-proof chicken coops on-site across Gloucester 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 Gloucester County towns
Compare them side by side in the Gloucester 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.