Can you keep chickens in Borough of Wood-Ridge, NJ?
No. The Wood-Ridge Board of Health code bans keeping fowl, chickens, ducks and geese anywhere in the Borough.
The rules at a glance
| Chickens allowed | No |
| Hens | Not permitted |
| Roosters | Prohibited |
| Permit | Not available (chickens are banned) |
| Coop setback | Not specified |
| Lot size | Not specified |
Good to know
- Chickens, ducks, geese and fowl are named in the list of animals no person may keep in the Borough.
- Older subsections that once covered the keeping of chickens and other fowl were repealed in 2005.
- Slaughterhouses and stores keeping live fowl for sale are also barred.
- The R-1 one-family zone allows agricultural buildings but states no livestock may be kept on the property.
Source: Borough of Wood-Ridge Code (eCode360), § 580-23, Rules and regulations governing animals and fowl (view the ordinance)
Verified 2026-09. Ordinances change and zoning can differ by district; always confirm the current rules with the Borough of Wood-Ridge clerk or zoning office before you build.
Chicken rules in nearby Bergen County towns
AllendaleBergenfieldBogotaCarlstadtCliffside ParkClosterCresskillDemarestDumontEast RutherfordEdgewaterElmwood ParkEmersonEnglewoodEnglewood CliffsFair LawnFairviewFort LeeFranklin LakesGarfieldGlen RockHackensackHasbrouck HeightsHillsdaleLeoniaLittle FerryLodiLyndhurstMahwahMaywoodMidland ParkMontvaleNew MilfordNorth ArlingtonNorwoodOaklandOld TappanOradellPalisades ParkParamusPark RidgeRamseyRidgefieldRidgefield ParkRidgewoodRiver EdgeRiver ValeRochelle ParkRutherfordSaddle BrookSaddle RiverTeaneckTenaflyUpper Saddle RiverWaldwickWallingtonWashingtonWestwoodWoodcliff LakeWyckoff
We build across Bergen County
Borough of Wood-Ridgedoesn't allow backyard chickens today, but ordinances change, and we build custom sheds and animal structures on-site throughout BergenCounty 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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Tell us about your animals and your land. We'll design a coop built to last, on-site, just for you.