Backyard hens & livestock — Nanaimo, British Columbia

Can I keep chickens, bees, or livestock on my property?

In the City of Nanaimo, British Columbia, hens permitted: True; max hens: maximum of 6 hens or ducks... on a parcel of land less than .4 hectares in size but greater than .045 hectares in size; or... maximum of 4 hens or ducks... if the parcel of land is smaller than .045 hectares in size; roosters prohibited: True; bees permitted: True. Source: Animal Responsibility Bylaw 2021 No. 7316, verified 2026-08-28.

Animal Responsibility Bylaw 2021 No. 7316 adopted bylaw
hens permitted True s. 66
max hens maximum of 6 hens or ducks... on a parcel of land less than .4 hectares in size but greater than .045 hectares in size; or... maximum of 4 hens or ducks... if the parcel of land is smaller than .045 hectares in size s. 66(a)-(b)
roosters prohibited True s. 66(c)
bees permitted True s. 56
livestock rule No Person shall keep any Livestock on any property, within the City, other than property zoned for such uses in the City's Zoning Bylaw. s. 69
permit or licence Every Person keeping Bees must be registered under the Bee Act s. 58(d)
setback Apiaries shall not be located within 7.5 meters of an adjacent property line; Enclosure... must comply with the setback requirements of the zone s. 58(a), s. 66(e)
scout note

Poultry (hens/ducks, no roosters): up to 6 on lots 0.045-0.4 ha, 4 on smaller lots, with coop/setback/odour rules. Bees allowed with registration; livestock only on properly zoned land; rabbits need secure, setback enclosures.

Machine-readable: backyard-hens.json · Official website: https://nanaimo.ca · Last verified 2026-08-28 · Backyard hens & livestock in other municipalities