Can you keep chickens in Borough of West Cape May, NJ?
Unclear. West Cape May's Right to Farm chapter covers keeping poultry for household use everywhere in the borough, but its zoning allows farms only on 5-acre lots in rural districts.
The rules at a glance
| Chickens allowed | Unclear |
| Hens | Not specified |
| Roosters | Not specified |
| Permit | Not specified |
| Coop setback | Farm buildings: 40 ft from side and 20 ft from rear lot lines (R-2) |
| Lot size | Not specified |
Good to know
- Right to Farm § 16-1.1 calls farming a permitted use everywhere in the borough, and § 16-1.4 defines home agriculture to include poultry for household use.
- § 16-1.5 then points to Chapter 27 for zoning rules on farms.
- Zoning allows farms by right in the R-2, R-4 and R-5 districts with a 5-acre minimum lot; farm buildings include buildings for keeping poultry.
- The R-1 Urban Residential district's accessory uses include shelters only for customary residential pets.
Source: Borough of West Cape May Code (eCode360), § 16-1.1 and § 16-1.4, Right to Farm; § 27-10.3 and § 27-11, Zoning (view the ordinance)
Verified 2026-09. Ordinances change and zoning can differ by district; always confirm the current rules with the Borough of West Cape May clerk or zoning office before you build.
Chicken rules in nearby Cape May County towns
Compare them side by side in the Cape May County table.
Building a coop in Borough of West Cape May?
Triano Farms builds custom, predator-proof chicken coops on-site across Cape MayCounty 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.