East Norriton

Backyard Chicken Ordinances

Backyard chickens are not allowed in East Norriton Township under the current zoning ordinance. East Norriton’s municipal code explicitly prohibits the keeping of chickens (and other fowl) on residential properties. In the General Provisions of the zoning ordinance Chapter 205, Article 16, it states: “The housing of pigeons, chickens, ducks or other fowl and the keeping of farm animals shall not be permitted.” This blanket prohibition has been in place for decades (reportedly since the 1970s) and remains the law per the minutes of the July 25, 2023 Regular Meeting of East Norriton Township.

East Norriton’s zoning code treats chickens as farm livestock, meaning you would essentially need to have a property zoned for agriculture (a farm) in order to keep them. As of March 28, 2025, there is no publicly available information indicating that the East Norriton Township Board of Supervisors has revisited or discussed the backyard chicken survey from their July 2023 meeting. The current ordinance continues to prohibit the keeping of chickens on residential properties.