FAQs

If approved by Council the proposed “Backyard Chicken By-Law” will set out regulations for the keeping of hens, including provisions for animal health and welfare, that hen owners must follow in the rural residential and village residential areas of Chatham-Kent.

Regulations would apply to rural residential and village residential properties that meet the established regulations as approved by Council, including properties wherein chickens are currently illegally kept. There would be no consideration of permitting pre-existing, non-conforming backyard chickens or variation or amendments to regulatory by-laws once established.

Agricultural zoned areas of Chatham-Kent would be exempt from any proposed regulations, licensing program or fees associated with this backyard chicken pilot program.

It is proposed that a licensing program be implemented requiring a hen owner to acquire a hen permit to keep hens on rural residential and village residential zoned properties. A hen owner would submit a completed application, site plan, property owner permission, if required and payment of the hen permit fee.

Successful applicants would need to meet regulatory requirements and will require an inspection of the yard and any hen coop or run on the applicant’s property. Municipal licensing programs help track legal hens in permitted areas and enforce illegal instances or violations.

The proposed hen permit fee is $592 for an initial application and $180 for a renewal. If approved, the fee would be annually.

It is recommended that a maximum of up to 6 hens per property be permitted within rural residential areas and village residential of Chatham-Kent for personal egg consumption, subject to regulatory limitations and prohibitions. Hens would also need to be four months or older in age to ensure they are hens, not roosters.

A building permit would be required for coops greater than 10 square meters (108 square feet).

Complaints would be handled by the Municipality’s contracted animal control provider, Pet and Wildlife Rescue.

To assist in mitigating potential nuisance and enforcement complaints relating to noise, setbacks from hen coops and runs are being recommended to provide a buffer from other properties. Unlike hens, crowing roosters can generate more noise. To avoid noise nuisance and mitigate complaints roosters are suggested to be prohibited within rural residential and village residential areas of Chatham-Kent. These limitations and prohibitions are suggested in the proposed Backyard Chicken By-law.

If you experience a noise complaint associated with backyard chickens, the Municipality’s Noise By law would come into effect.

The proposed by-law regulates the owner of hens to ensure that:

• Coops are fully enclosed on all sides and have a roof and doors. Access doors must be able to be shut and locked at night. Any windows and vents must be predator-proof and bird-proof.
• During daylight hours, hens may be allowed outside of their coop in a securely fenced yard on the premises of the owner of hens, if supervised. During non-daylight hours hens shall be secured within a locked coop as described above.

In the event hens are found running at large (off of the owner’s property), the property owner may be fined up to $240.

The proposed by-law regulates the owner of hens to:

• Keep the hen coop and run in a clean, dry, odour-free, neat and sanitary condition at all times, and in a manner that will provide healthy living conditions for the hens while minimizing adverse impacts to other residents in the neighborhood to the satisfaction of the Poundkeeper.
• Undertake any repairs directed by the Poundkeeper at the owner of hens sole cost and expense in order to comply with this section.
• Deep clean the coop two times yearly, at minimum, including disinfecting of troughs, perches, and nests.
• Ensure the coop has appropriate bedding i.e. shavings, straw or other appropriate materials, to absorb manure and facilitate cleaning and help reduce smells within the coop.
• Remove uneaten or spoiled feed in a timely manner.
• Clean and disinfect regularly feeders and water containers.

Hens are often a prey for foxes, skunks, raccoons, cats, dogs, and rats, so proper enclosures will be required. Rodents may also be attracted to food and water. Proper animal care and maintenance of enclosures helps minimize unwanted pests. Regulations in the proposed Backyard Chicken By-law will help support proper animal health and welfare, enclosure, and property maintenance, as well as protection against pests and predators.

To alleviate food safety risks, help ensure proper biosecurity, and mitigate public health risks the sale of chicken products in residential areas including eggs, meat, and manure, is recommended to be prohibited within rural residential and village residential areas.

The owner of hens shall ensure that all dead hens are disposed of within one (1) business day in a sanitary manner at the owner’s sole cost and expense. For clarity, such disposal may include disposing any dead hen at a livestock disposal facility or through the services of a veterinarian or through a facility as approved by the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs and are disposed of in accordance with all laws.

Owner of hens must notify the Municipality immediately of any disease or welfare issues that arise that may affect the public and the steps taken to rectify the situation.

As part of the application process an owner of hens must complete an attestation that they have read the educational material required to keep hens.

In the proposed by-law, hens found to be infested with insects and parasites that may result in unhealthy conditions to human habitation must receive treatment in consultation with a veterinarian in a timely fashion. Non-compliance with this section may result in notice that the permission to keep hens in the Municipality is revoked and continued keeping of hens in an offence under the by-law.