Backyard chickens: Calgary councillor to propose pilot project

The controversial backyard chicken debate could be headed back to Calgary city council.

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In 2010 council voted down a proposed pilot project for allowing people to raise egg-laying hens in their yards.

City officials were concerned about backyard chickens being a nuisance to neighbours, becoming a potential health concern or attracting predators.

But Coun.Gian-Carlo Carra says a lot has changed since then and its time to reconsider trying a pilot project. He plans to introduce a motion in the next few weeks.

"I've been rooting around to see what kind of support I'd get on council and I think people are interested in seeing if this works," he said.

Other municipalities in Alberta including Red Deer now allow urban chickens and an increasing number of Calgarians are interested in food security issues and would be eager to take part in a pilot project, Carra says.

Amber Dennison is one of them.She says she knows a lot of people who would like to raise chickens to save money and to feel safer about their food choices.

"If you only have a couple of hens, you are not going to have a lot of noise," she said.

"You pick up after them, you are not going to have a lot of smell ... and you get all the eggs, and I don't know what the downside is."