Hudson County, NJ Animal Ordinances: Chickens & Livestock (2026)

Hudson County's dense urban character makes it one of the most restrictive NJ counties for backyard poultry and livestock. Jersey City Code §83 Animals prohibits the keeping of 'farm animals' including chickens, ducks, geese, goats, pigs, and cattle within city limits except in specifically zoned agricultural areas (none exist). Hoboken Code §90 similarly prohibits livestock and poultry in all districts given its mile-square fully urbanized footprint. Bayonne Code Ch. 13 prohibits chickens and other farm animals in all zones. Union City, West New York, and North Bergen maintain near-identical bans. No Hudson County municipality permits roosters under any circumstance due to noise. Occasional nuisance complaints about unauthorized chicken coops are handled by local health departments and animal control. Unlike Montclair, Maplewood, and other NJ towns that have adopted progressive urban chicken ordinances with hen-only limits and coop setbacks, no Hudson municipality has followed suit as of 2025. Pigeon keeping in Jersey City requires a Board of Health permit.