NJ · verified 2026-10-28
Newark, NJ
Short answerYes: the City of Newark code allows backyard hens, but the cited section sets no number; roosters are banned; the code lists a permit fee of $10; and the coop setback is 20 ft.
Buying notes for backyard hens inside the City of Newark corporate limits. HOA covenants and county rules outside city limits can differ.
Heads up: These rules apply inside the City of Newark corporate limits only. An HOA or neighborhood covenant can still ban hens. Those private rules are usually not public, so HenCheck does not look them up.
Primary source: Newark Revised General Ordinances §§ 6:2-29 to 6:2-36 (Rabbits and Fowl).
At a glance
- Hen cap
- No number set in the cited code section
- Roosters
- Banned
- Permit & fee
- $10
- Setback
- 20 ft
Code cite: Newark Revised General Ordinances §§ 6:2-29 to 6:2-36 (Rabbits and Fowl).
The rule, quoted
Word for word from Newark Revised General Ordinances §§ 6:2-29 to 6:2-36 (Rabbits and Fowl).
How many hens
“No rabbits or fowl shall be kept within the City except in accordance with the requirements of this Article.”
Article 4 sets no number of hens. You need the yearly permit, and fowl are not allowed in multi-family houses or their yards. The zoning ordinance (Title XLI) was not checked.
Newark Revised General Ordinances §§ 6:2-29 to 6:2-36 (Rabbits and Fowl).
Roosters
“It shall be unlawful for any person to keep or maintain roosters within the City.”
Permit and fee
“The fee for a permit under this Article shall be $10.”
Permit from the Director of the Department of Health and Community Wellness. It expires every December 31.
Setback / screening
“No part of such house, coop or runway shall be less than 20 feet from the doors or windows of any premises occupied by human beings, whether for dwelling or business purposes.”
Every part of the coop and run must be at least 20 ft from the doors and windows of any occupied home or business. The code does not exempt your own house.
Also in this section
Permit required
“A permit shall be required for the keeping of rabbits or fowl in the City.”
No multi-family yards
“Under no conditions shall any rabbits or fowl be kept or maintained in multi-family houses or multi-family house yards, or in any dwelling house, or in any part thereof.”
Coop with runway
“They shall be kept confined in a suitable house or coop with an enclosed runway.”
Watertight floor
“The house or coop referred to in the preceding section shall be floored with cement or other watertight flooring.”
Weekly cleaning
“It shall be cleaned at least once in every week, and more often if the Health Officer shall so require.”
What to buy
Named products and shops are real. Confirm stock, shipping, and that the vet still sees poultry before you spend money.
Shared Newark, NJ metro list: same stores for every city in this metro.
Hatchery
Cackle Hatchery
Ships live chicks to New Jersey via USPS Priority Mail. Cackle's FAQ lists New Jersey among the states it ships to, with chicks going out Mondays and Wednesdays from February to August and Wednesdays only from August to late October. Order sexed pullets if your city bans roosters or does not address them.
Feed store
Tractor Supply — Rockaway (#2594)
Rockaway — 279 Route 46, Rockaway, NJ 07866. (973) 784-4500. Store page lists a livestock department.
Coop
OverEZ Medium Chicken Coop with Wooden 8 ft Chicken Run
Dimensions: Coop 50¼ in L × 52½ in W × 62¼ in H (includes nesting box), sized by OverEZ for up to 10 chickens; Wooden 8 ft run 8 ft W × 8 ft L × 6 ft 3 in H
Price: Coop $1,699.00 (Classic, Farmhouse or Coastal finish); Wooden 8 ft run $1,899.00. Prices as shown on overezchickencoop.com on 2026-10-22.
The coop footprint is about 4.2 ft × 4.4 ft and the run is 8 ft × 8 ft, so with the coop at the end of the run plan on roughly 8 ft × 12.5 ft. Measure your setback from the cited code before you pick a spot, and check any height limit: the run is 6 ft 3 in tall. OverEZ ships coops and runs by tractor-trailer freight to the end of your driveway; homes on roads a truck cannot reach may need to pick up at a freight terminal.
Vet
No verified poultry vet yet
We have not confirmed a clinic here that says it treats chickens. Call local vets and ask before you need one.
Verified 2026-10-28 against Newark Revised General Ordinances §§ 6:2-29 to 6:2-36 (Rabbits and Fowl). at https://ecode360.com/36624296. Read the live code before you build or order birds.