Ridgewood permits backyard chickens and limited fowl by Health Division permit, but coops must meet strict setbacks and roosters or noisy fowl are prohibited.
Chapter 105, Article III governs the keeping of certain animals in Ridgewood. Residents may keep chickens, ducks, and other listed poultry only after obtaining a permit from the Village Division of Health. Coops and runs must be set back substantial distances from neighboring dwellings and from any place of public assembly. Roosters and any screaming or chattering fowl are prohibited because of nuisance noise. Permits are reviewed annually and require fee payment in advance, and inspections may be conducted to verify sanitary conditions.
Keeping fowl without a permit, harboring roosters, allowing odors or runoff, or violating coop setbacks can result in fines, permit revocation, and an order to remove the animals.
See how other cities in Bergen County handle chickens & livestock.
See how Ridgewood's chickens & livestock rules stack up against other locations.
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