Bloomfield, NJ Animal Ordinances: Chickens & Livestock (2026)
Key Facts
- Governing section
- Bloomfield Township Code § 586-1
- Fowl barred
- Ducks, geese, pigeons, chickens, other fowl
- Livestock barred
- Swine, goats, cattle, horses, other livestock
- Where it applies
- Any private or public plot or other premises
- Maximum fine
- $500 per offense (§ 586-6)
- Each day
- A separate and distinct offense
Summary
Bloomfield Township, Essex County, bans keeping chickens, ducks, geese, pigeons and other fowl, as well as swine, goats, cattle, horses and other livestock. Section 586-1 of the Township Code makes it unlawful to keep or maintain any of them on any private or public plot of land or other premises in the township.
It shall be unlawful for any person to keep or maintain swine, goats, cattle, horses, other livestock, or ducks, geese, pigeons, chickens or other fowl within the Township of Bloomfield on any private or public plot of land or other premises.
Full Breakdown
Chapter 586 of the Bloomfield Township Code is an animal ordinance of the Bloomfield Board of Health, adopted 6-9-2004, and Section 586-1 is its opening rule. It names two groups. The livestock group is swine, goats, cattle, horses and other livestock. The fowl group is ducks, geese, pigeons, chickens and other fowl. Both are barred on any private or public plot of land or other premises in Bloomfield Township, so a residential backyard and a public lot fall under the same sentence.
The section as printed contains no permit route, no minimum lot size, no flock cap and no carve-out for a few hens. A resident of Bloomfield, New Jersey who wants chickens has no application to file with the Health Department under Chapter 586, because the chapter does not offer one.
Section 586-3 reinforces the ban. Subsection A declares that, by reason of the density of the population in the Township, a slaughterhouse or any market or store where live animals or fowl are kept for sale or slaughtered on the premises is a nuisance and shall not be conducted or permitted. It names live-chicken markets specifically. Subsection B bars anyone from slaughtering, killing or butchering, or raising or keeping for that purpose, any swine, sheep, goats, cattle, other livestock or fowl within the Township of Bloomfield.
Section 586-8 adds that where the chapter conflicts with a state or federal regulation, the provision that sets the higher standard for the health and safety of the people prevails. Section 586-5, the wildlife-feeding rule, is separate: its subsection C states that the chapter shall not be applicable to residential bird feeders.
Violations & Fines
Section 586-6 provides that any person, firm or corporation who violates any provision of Chapter 586 shall, upon conviction, be punished by a fine not exceeding $500. Each violation, and each day the same is violated, is a separate and distinct offense, so a flock kept across several days is charged as several offenses. Chapter 586 is a Board of Health ordinance, so complaints go to the Bloomfield Health Department.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I keep a few backyard chickens in Bloomfield, NJ?
Does the ban cover ducks and pigeons too?
What is the penalty for keeping chickens in Bloomfield Township?
Do bird feeders count as keeping fowl?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Bloomfield
How Bloomfield compares: Best Cities for Backyard Chickens·Compare Bloomfield to another location·View the New Jersey animal ordinances overview
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