Can Keeping Chickens In Your Backyard Be Legal In Toronto?

Raise Chickens In Toronto: Legal Or Not?

By Tom Seest

Can Keeping Chickens In Your Backyard Be Legal In Toronto?

At BackyardChickenNews, we help people who want to raise backyard chickens by collating information and news blended with our own personal experiences.

While backyard chickens are still illegal in many areas, four neighborhoods in Toronto have made them legal. While the city has plenty of chickens on the illegal list, the urban farmer we found has managed to stay off the radar. By choosing anonymity, he avoided a bylaw crackdown.

Can Keeping Chickens In Your Backyard Be Legal In Toronto?

Can Red and Poulet Flock Together in Toronto?

The two backyard chickens, Red and Poulet, have become neighborhood celebrities. They live in a coop with a small run and are free to wander about the yard when their owners are not home. The pair has been laying eggs every day since they arrived, and their presence is a source of pride for the neighborhood. But as with most backyard chickens, they are prone to predator attacks, so the City of Toronto should consider adding chickens to its Prohibited Animal List.
Although backyard chickens are legal in four Toronto neighborhoods, they are still illegal in many other areas. The city’s council is set to vote on the matter on October 2-3-4. Many signatories of a petition oppose the proposal, citing humane myths about animal exploitation. It is not humane to eat an unfertilized egg, and male chicks are killed during hatchery procedures.

Can Red and Poulet Flock Together in Toronto?

Can You Keep Hens in Toronto Neighborhoods?

In Toronto, it is now legal to keep backyard chickens. There are a few requirements you need to meet, however. You need to have a fenced backyard, register with the City, and make sure you meet zoning rules. In addition, you’ll need to ensure that your chickens are at least four months old.
The city limits the number of chickens you can keep and what you can do with them. In general, chickens are only allowed to lay eggs for themselves and not for sale or given away. As such, you’ll need to build a coop and register the chickens with the city before you can start laying eggs.
The Toronto city government has a program called UrbanHensTO that allows city residents to keep urban chickens. The program was launched in March 2018 and is currently active until March 31, 2023. This program allows residents of certain wards to raise up to four hens for personal consumption.
The coop must be at least four months old, and the coop needs to be at least two meters high and at least nine square feet. It must also have a roof and doors that can lock at night. It must be on the owner’s property and within three meters of neighboring properties. You’ll also need to allow City staff to inspect the property.

Can You Keep Hens in Toronto Neighborhoods?

How Can You Keep Chickens Safe in Toronto’s Four Legal Neighborhoods?

To raise backyard chickens in Columbia County, the chickens must be contained in an enclosure or fenced area on the Owner’s property at all times. This area must be in the rear yard of the property. It’s important to keep chickens in a fenced area because their waste and feces may create odors that will affect neighboring properties. The number of chickens can be up to eight, and roosters must be contained within their own pen or fenced area. If you rent your property, you may need to obtain written permission from the renter to keep chickens there.
For residents of cities or counties with chicken ordinances, it is essential to find out how many chickens are allowed on a property. In some cities, there are restrictions based on the size of the property. In Louisville, KY, you can keep five non-crowing chickens on a lot that’s less than half an acre. In addition, crowing poultry is not permitted on lots under one acre.
In addition to keeping chickens inside the property, you must also make provisions for storing hen droppings and removing dead birds. The coop must have a roof and be completely enclosed. You must also keep the coop free from garbage and other litter. Also, the area where you keep the chickens must be free of odors and any evidence of microbial activity.

How Can You Keep Chickens Safe in Toronto’s Four Legal Neighborhoods?

What Healthy Diet Do Hens Need in Toronto’s Legal Neighborhoods?

Backyard chickens in Toronto require a healthy diet to remain healthy and productive. You can feed your chickens a variety of foods, including table scraps. The amount of food they require depends on the breed and activity level of your chickens. You can feed them several times per day if you are at home. However, if you work or are away from home for a long period of time, you should feed them twice a day when you return.
Chickens make various sounds that express their moods. These noises depend on how comfortable they are, their excitement, fear, or activity. For instance, hens will cluck for a long time after laying an egg. However, frequent crowing and clucking can cause conflict and complaints from your neighbors.
The diets of factory-farmed chickens have high levels of phosphorus and nitrogen, which can damage the soil. This waste can result in algal blooms and even die-off of species. Additionally, the manure produced by hens releases noxious gasses that can affect the health of the workers who tend to the hens.

What Healthy Diet Do Hens Need in Toronto’s Legal Neighborhoods?

How Can Toronto Residents Keep Hens Safely in Their Backyards?

Backyard chickens are now legal in Toronto under a three-year pilot program. The new bylaw makes it easier for people to raise chickens as long as they are kept in a coop. Some areas of the city allow backyard chickens, including Beaches-East York, Bloor-West Village, Parkdale, and Leslieville. Nonetheless, if you live in one of these areas, make sure to check with your local city hall for specific bylaws.
The program is a pilot program that allows urban hen keepers to register their chickens and raise up to four hens for their own enjoyment. The chickens must be kept in a weather-proof structure, which must also contain nest boxes and perches for the hens to roost. Backyard chickens are not permitted in Toronto if you are raising them for meat.
To keep backyard chickens in Toronto, you must build a coop and notify neighbors. You must also abide by zoning requirements. This means a coop must be constructed on a property at least 12 feet above ground and at least five feet away from a school or church. In addition, your coop must be located at least ten feet from your property’s front yard or a fence.

How Can Toronto Residents Keep Hens Safely in Their Backyards?

What Are the Rules for Keeping Chickens in Toronto?

Backyard chickens are allowed only on detached single-family homes and commercial properties. There are also limitations on keeping chickens on apartments and multifamily properties. The terms and conditions of backyard chickens in Toronto are designed to make keeping chickens in an urban setting more difficult and less desirable. Fortunately, there are some ways to keep your chickens in an urban setting and avoid the legal pitfalls associated with raising chickens in an urban environment.
The city is developing regulations to promote backyard chickens in Toronto. These regulations will include minimum standards for cleaning and keeping chickens, food storage, and the safe disposal of the carcasses. The city has also asked people to complete a survey. The survey will close on November 28, and the city will hold an online consultation session on November 25 at 7 p.m.
The coop and enclosure must be properly insulated and weatherproof. They must also be free of predators and rodents. In addition, the coop must be regularly cleaned and maintained.

What Are the Rules for Keeping Chickens in Toronto?

Be sure to read our other related stories at BackyardChickenNews to learn more about raising chickens in your backyard.