The Municipality of Chatham-Kent currently permits chickens and roosters on properties zoned agricultural.
At the May 27, 2024 Council meeting, Council received an Information Report with options regarding urban backyard chickens.
What's next?
- Administration to draft a by-law for a pilot project permitting backyard chickens in Rural Resident and Village Residential zoned properties.
- Council requested that the following items be considered when drafting the by-law:
- Chickens must stay on your own property. If you do not have a fence around your property, you must keep them in a chicken coop.
- No roosters.
- Require a minimum set back from your property lines, or from neighbouring homes buildings. The coop needs to be located with setbacks from the property lines depending on the side of the yard.
- Feed must be stored in a rodent proof container.
- Only a one time application and fee. The fee helps cover some of the costs. Before someone is allowed to have chickens, they would apply with the application, if their property is approved for one (based on the criteria we use), they are then able to set up their coop. Before they are able to have chickens, a by-law officer goes to inspect the yard and coop. If it passes inspection, they are good to get the chickens. After that, the only time we would visit the property again is if there is a by-law complaint about the property.
- A limit for chickens (that might depend on lot size) or how the property is zoned.
- Demerit points.
