Can you keep chickens in Town of West New York, NJ?
No. The sanitary code says chickens and other fowl cannot be kept in any house or tenement yard, which covers ordinary residential back yards.
The rules at a glance
| Chickens allowed | No |
| Hens | Not permitted |
| Roosters | Prohibited, along with all other fowl, in any house or tenement yard |
| Permit | Not available (fowl cannot be kept in a house or tenement yard) |
| Coop setback | No part of a coop may be less than 20 feet from the windows or door of any dwelling |
| Lot size | No minimum stated |
Good to know
- Chapter 322, Article XV covers chickens, pigeons, ducks, geese and other fowl.
- Where fowl are kept at all they may never run at large and must be in a house or coop with an enclosed runway.
- Coop floors must be watertight and cleaned at least weekly.
- A separate article bans the sale of live animals and fowl, and the Health Department fee schedule in § 186-10 lists a $200 poultry fee, which applies to licensed businesses rather than back yard birds.
Source: Town of West New York Code (eCode360), §§ 322-97 to 322-100, Fowl (view the ordinance)
Verified 2026-09. Ordinances change and zoning can differ by district; always confirm the current rules with the Town of West New York clerk or zoning office before you build.
Chicken rules in nearby Hudson County towns
We build across Hudson County
Town of West New Yorkdoesn't allow backyard chickens today, but ordinances change, and we build custom sheds and animal structures on-site throughout HudsonCounty and all of New Jersey. If a coop is in your plans, we can help you sort out where it's allowed nearby.
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