Can you keep chickens in Township of Upper Deerfield, NJ?
Only on larger lots. In any residential district you need at least one acre, and you may keep no more than 12 barnyard fowl, with no housing or manure within 100 feet of a property line.
The rules at a glance
| Chickens allowed | Yes, with conditions |
| Hens | Up to 12 birds |
| Roosters | Not specified |
| Permit | Not specified |
| Coop setback | Housing and manure at least 100 feet from any adjacent property line; fencing at least 10 feet from property lines and 50 feet from the nearest other dwelling |
| Lot size | Min. 1 acre |
| Rule adopted | Sept 1988 |
Good to know
- Class III animals are defined as any feathered vertebrate, including chickens, hens, geese, ducks and turkeys.
- Birds must be kept in a pen, corral or other suitable enclosure with animal housing provided.
- Acreage is counted separately for each class of animal and added together.
- The limits do not apply to an agricultural district or to a farm as defined by the zoning chapter; poultry farms need 10 acres if birds are outside.
Source: Township of Upper Deerfield Code (eCode360), § 405-41B(2), Keeping of animals and livestock; kennels and animal hospitals (view the ordinance)
Verified 2026-09. Ordinances change and zoning can differ by district; always confirm the current rules with the Township of Upper Deerfield clerk or zoning office before you build.
Chicken rules in nearby Cumberland County towns
Building a coop in Township of Upper Deerfield?
Triano Farms builds custom, predator-proof chicken coops on-site across CumberlandCounty 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.