It just became a little bit easier to have backyard chickens in Middletown Township.
On Monday evening, the Middletown Township Board of Supervisors voted to update the township’s ordinances to open the door for hens in all of the municipality’s residential zoning districts.
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The decision eases regulations that previously required residents to own at least 10 acres of land to keep poultry, a rule that effectively barred most homeowners across the 19-square-mile municipality.
Under the old rules, an unknown number of residents kept chickens unlawfully, with some running into issues with township officials.
Jim Ennis, the township’s director of zoning and planning, called the update as the “most flexible” option after a thorough review.
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“The township found that there were many more in favor, considerably so, than against,” Ennis said.
The township official explained that the updated rules mirror regulations in other Bucks County municipalities.
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As part of the new ordinance, properties between 5,000 and 10,000 square feet may house up to four hens. One additional hen is permitted for every extra 5,000 square feet of lot space. Roosters are prohibited. Chickens must be kept for personal use only, and free-ranging is not permitted.
The ordinance requires that coops and runs be restricted to rear or side yards and set back at least 15 feet from property lines. Coops and runs cannot exceed 8 feet in height or cover more than 50 square feet. Each property is limited to one coop and one run.
As part of the new rules, residents have to secure a permit through the township’s Building and Zoning Department.
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The ordinance also outlines standards for feed, water, storage, and onsite manure composting.
Permits carry a one-time fee of $150, alongside an annual $50 registration fee that includes a property inspection.
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The inspection element was added following a recommendation from the Middletown Township Planning Commission. The Bucks County Planning Commission raised no objections to the ordinance, officials said.
During Monday evening’s supervisors’ meeting, several residents voiced worries over the annual licensing and inspection requirements, citing township staff time and costs.
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A resident from Langhorne-Yardley Road suggested replacing the annual routine inspections with a single, one-time permit fee.
Ennis addressed the concerns and explained that planners favored the yearly checkups.
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“If it is as cumbersome as we go further into this, we can also take away the licensing section at a later time,” Ennis said.
Residents currently keeping chickens without a permit are required to come into compliance under the new system. Application materials and registration forms are available through the Building and Zoning Department.
