Hen Coop Licensing

• You may keep backyard hens if your property meets the site requirements
• You may have up to 4 hens
• Your backyard chickens must be hens. To ensure that all chickens are female, hens must be at least 4 months old before residing on your property.
• Your hen coop must meet the requirements outlined in the by-law
• Bring your chickens to the vet 

• Having chickens in the front or side yard
• Letting your hens roam free in your yard
• Selling parts of hens, eggs, or manure
• Having a rooster
• Slaughtering your hens
• Keeping hens outside of their coop from 9 pm - 6 am

• Only properties zoned residential with minimum lot size of 500m2 are permitted to be licensed.
• The following dwellings are not permitted to house hens:
  • a) Apartment buildings;
  • b) Condominium buildings; and
  • c) Properties that do not meet the minimum lot size requirement and/or have insufficient outdoor space.
• No coops and runs are permitted in a front yard or exterior side yard;
• Property must allow space for these setbacks for the coop:
  • A minimum setback of 3.0 m from the property line is required;
  • A minimum setback of 1.2 m from the dwelling and other accessory buildings is required;
  • A minimum setback of 3.0 m from all windows and doors of dwellings that are located on abutting properties is required;
  • A minimum setback of 12.0 m from institutional and/or commercial land uses is required;

Coop Requirements (Must be shown on submitted coop drawing)

• A maximum of one (1) hen coop and one (1) outdoor run is permitted per property;
• A maximum floor area of 9.2 m2 for a hen coop is permitted;
• A maximum height of 2 m for a hen coop is permitted;
• Coop is required to be fully enclosed with ventilation. If a heat source needs to be installed, the heat source must be a Canadian Standards Association (CSA) rated product and meet the Electrical Safety Authority (ESA) standards upon installation;
• Coop is required to be built to prevent rodent(s) from harbouring underneath or within the walls and prevent entrance by any other animal;
• Coop is required to have windows and vents which must be predator- and birdproof;
• A minimum of one (1) nest box is required;
• A minimum of one (1) rodent-proof food and water container is required; and
• A minimum of one (1) perch giving 0.3m of space per hen is required

• To keep backyard chickens, an initial fee of $50 along with an approved application is required.
• To renew your chicken license, there is an annual fee of $25.
• All application expire on December 31st and must be renewed by March 1st of the year in which the license is to be issued. 

• Keeping Your Birds Healthy (OMAFRA);
• Biosecurity Recommendations for Small Flock Poultry Owners (OMAFRA);
• Small Flock Poultry: Raising Healthy Birds (OMAFRA);
• Rodent Control in Livestock and Poultry Facilities (OMAFRA); and,
• Keeping your family healthy with backyard poultry, including chicks and ducklings (Ministry of Health).