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THE CORPORATION OF THE VILLAGE OF POUCE COUPE
BYLAW NO. 1024, 2020
A bylaw to regulate hen keeping.
THIS DOCUMENT HAS BEEN REPRODUCED FOR CONVENIENCE ONLY
and is a consolidation of " Hen Keeping Bylaw No. 1024, 2020" with the following amending
bylaws:
Hen Keeping Amendment Bylaw No. 1069, 2025
Individual copies of any of the above bylaws are available from the Pouce Coupe Village
Office. For legal purposes, copies of the original bylaws should be obtained.
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VILLAGE OF POUCE COUPE
BYLAW NO. 1024, 2020
HEN KEEPING
PROVINCE OF BRITISH COLUMBIA
A Bylaw of the Corporation of the Village of Pouce Coupe in the Province of British Columbia to
regulate the keeping of hens in backyards, within the Village of Pouce Coupe.
WHEREAS pursuant to the Community Charter, Council may, by bylaw, regulate, prohibit and
impose requirements in relation to animals;
AND WHEREAS Council considers it to be in the public interest to regulate, prohibit and impose
requirements regarding hen keeping within the Village of Pouce Coupe.
THEREFORE, The Council of the Corporation of the Village of Pouce Coupe in open meeting
assembled enacts as follows:
PART I - TITLE
1.
Citation
This bylaw may be cited for all purposes as Hen Keeping Bylaw No. 1024, 2020.
PART II - DEFINITIONS
3.
Chicken: Means a domesticated chicken;
Coop: Means that part of the enclosure that is constructed of solid walls on all sides and
covered with a solid roof, with a wood or concrete floor;
Village: Means the Village of Pouce Coupe;
Enclosure: Means an enclosed structure designed for the keeping of chickens, and
consists of a run and a coop;
Hen: Means a female chicken;
Rooster: Means a male chicken; and
Run: Means the outdoor part of an enclosure that is fully enclosed by wire or mesh on
all sides and covered with a solid roof.
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4. Applicability
The keeping of hens is permitted on properties located in any of the residential R-1 or R-2
zones as listed in the current zoning bylaw.
Residents must be following Bylaw No. 1008, 2018 Property Maintenance Standards Bylaw and
following Bylaw No. 588, 1991 Property Maintenance & Noise Bylaw or the most recent versions
there of as amended from time to time.
5. Backyard Hen Keeping Licenses/Permits
(a) No person will keep any hens within the boundaries of the Village unless that person is
engaging in backyard hen keeping and holds a valid license under this bylaw.
(b) A person may apply for a backyard hen permit by completing the backyard hen permit
application.
(c) Once the permit has been approved, there must be a license obtained for the hens. The
license is good for the calendar year. The calendar resets on January 1. A new license
must be purchased every year for backyard hens.
(d) If any person becomes the owner of backyard hens, that person must apply for a license
within seven (7) days of becoming the owner of backyard hens.
(e) Every backyard hen license is valid only for the owner of the backyard hens to whom it
was issued.
(f) The Animal Control Officer or the Village may cancel, suspend or refuse to issue a
backyard hen license issued pursuant to this Bylaw if the backyard hen license holder
fails to comply with the provisions of this Bylaw.
(g) All backyard hen license fees payable per Schedule "G" of the Village of Pouce Coupe
Consolidated Municipal Fees and Charges Bylaw No. 1062, 2025, are non-refundable.
6. Backyard Hen Keeping
A person who engages in backyard hen keeping must:
(a) Be the registered owner or obtain permission from the registered property owner of the
property where hens are kept, and reside at the property where the hens are kept;
(b) Keep no more than four (4) hens per parcel of land;
(c) A backyard hen enclosure must be located in the rear yard of the property;
(d) Backyard hen enclosures must be clearly incidental and secondary to the use of the
dwelling for residential purposes, and must be conducted by a resident of the parcel;
(e) A backyard hen enclosure must only use a pen and a coop as regulated by this bylaw;
(f) The maximum size of a coop is 8.0 m2 in floor area and 2.0 m in height;
(g) The coop and pen must be placed at least 2.5 m from the exterior of side parcel line, the
interior side parcel line and the rear parcel line;
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(h) A valid permit must be obtained through the Village of Pouce Coupe in order to operate
a backyard hen enclosure;
(i) Backyard hen enclosures are for personal use only and products produced from
backyard hen enclosures shall not be sold in any commercial manner.
(j) No hens shall roam free throughout the Village
(k) Maintain the enclosure and all parts thereof in good and sanitary condition and repair
(l) Construct and maintain the enclosure so as to prevent any vermin from harboring
beneath the enclosure or within it or its walls, and to prevent entrance by other animals
(m) Remove leftover feed, trash and manure in a timely manner, and manure in a timely
manner so as to prevent obnoxious odors, attraction of pests and wildlife, or conditions
that could interfere with the health or well-being of a hen
7. Inspection
The enclosure must be inspected by the Village for compliance with the provisions outlined in
section 9 of this bylaw, as well, the property must be in compliance with the Property
Maintenance Standards Bylaw No. 1008, 2018 before a permit can be issued.
8. Prohibited Uses
No person shall:
(a) Keep or permit to be kept any rooster on property that they own or occupy;
(b) Keep or permit to be kept more than 4 hens on any single-family residential lot;
(c) Keep fewer than 2 hens, if hens are kept;
(d) Have or permit more than one enclosure per single family residential lot
(e) Keep a chicken in a cage, other than an enclosure, unless for the purpose of transport;
(f) Slaughter, euthanize, or attempt to euthanize a chicken, provided that this will not apply to
veterinary clinics or abattoirs that are legally permitted to slaughter or euthanize chickens;
(g) Bury a chicken;
(h) Leave a dead chicken for more than one day on a property that they own or occupy;
(i) Dispose of a dead chicken except by delivering it to a farm, abattoir, veterinarian or other
facility that is legally permitted and able to dispose of chicken carcasses
(j) Construct or permit to be constructed an enclosure in the front yard or side yard of a
property that they own or occupy, or otherwise keep or permit to be kept any hens in any
such front yard or side yard;
(k) Deposit manure in the municipal sewage or storm drain system, or compost manure in
such a way as to allow manure to enter the municipal sewer or storm drain system.
(l) Manure is to be disposed of at a Peace River Regional District (PRRD) landfill. No manure
is to be thrown in Village garbage or recycling bins;
a. Attempting to dispose of chicken manure in village bins will result in immediate
suspension of licenses.
9. Enforcement
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The Animal Control Officer, Bylaw Enforcement Officer or designate are authorized to enforce
this Bylaw and for that purpose may enter at all reasonable times upon any property to ascertain
whether or not the provision of this bylaw is being obeyed.
10. Obstruction
No person shall interfere with, delay, obstruct or impede a Bylaw Enforcement Officer or other
person lawfully authorized to enforce this Bylaw in the performance of duties under this Bylaw.
11. Seizure and Disposition
The Animal Bylaw Officer or Bylaw Officer reserves the right (but is not in any way obligated) to
seize and impound any chicken running astray. If any impounded chicken is not claimed within
24 hours, the Animal Bylaw Officer or Bylaw Officer, or the designate of either of them, may
donate, euthanize or otherwise dispose of the chicken in any manner he or she sees fit. To
claim an impounded chicken, the owner shall pay the fees per Schedule "G" of the Village of
Pouce Coupe Consolidated Municipal Fees and Charges Bylaw No. 1062, 2025.
12. Offence and Penalties
Any person:
(a) Who violates or fails to comply with the provisions of this bylaw, or who causes or
suffers or permits any act or thing to be done in contravention of, or in violation
of, any provision of this bylaw; or
(b) Who neglects or refrains from acting in accordance with this bylaw and as
directed by the Animal Control Officer or Bylaw Officer;
Is guilty of an offence and upon conviction is liable for a fine of at least $100 and not
more than $10,000, and for continuing offences, the fine for each day that an offence
continues shall be at least the impoundment fee listed in Schedule "G" of the Village of
Pouce Coupe Consolidated Municipal Fees and Charges Bylaw No. 1062, 2025, and not
more than $10,000.
13. Designation of Bylaw
This bylaw is designated pursuant to section 264 of the Community Charter as a bylaw that may
be enforced by means of a ticket in the form prescribed, and may be enforced by any person
listed in section 9 of this bylaw.
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READ A FIRST TIME this: 7th, day of October, 2020.
READ A SECOND TIME this: 7th, day of October, 2020.
READ A THIRD TIME this:7th, day of October, 2020.
ADOPTED this 21st day of October, 2020.
_____________________________ _________________________________
Lorraine Michetti
Sandy Stokes
Mayor
Corporate Officer
Certified a true copy of
Hen Keeping Bylaw No. 1024, 2020
As adopted by Council.
___________________________________
Sandy Stokes
Corporate Officer