Can you keep chickens in Township of Woolwich, NJ?
Only on larger lots. Woolwich lets residents raise poultry for private use on lots of at least one acre, with the birds housed at least 75 feet from any home other than the owner's.
The rules at a glance
| Chickens allowed | Yes, with conditions |
| Hens | No stated limit |
| Roosters | Not specified |
| Permit | Not specified |
| Coop setback | Poultry yards at least 75 feet from any residence other than the owner's; animal structures at least 30 feet from property or street lines |
| Lot size | Min. 1 acre |
Good to know
- § 203-62D allows raising poultry and other small animals for private use on lots at least one acre in size.
- § 203-62B(1) sets a broader standard of at least two acres, excluding the residence portion, for keeping livestock and poultry noncommercially.
- A farm with more than 10 head of fowl per acre becomes an intensive fowl or livestock farm and needs Planning Board approval.
- The code has no backyard chicken license program and no stated hen count for home flocks.
Source: Township of Woolwich Code (eCode360), § 203-62, Livestock, animals and fowl (view the ordinance)
Verified 2026-09. Ordinances change and zoning can differ by district; always confirm the current rules with the Township of Woolwich clerk or zoning office before you build.
Chicken rules in nearby Gloucester County towns
Building a coop in Township of Woolwich?
Triano Farms builds custom, predator-proof chicken coops on-site across GloucesterCounty 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.