Family flouts urban chicken ban with Calgary flock

Somewhere in inner-city Calgary, a brood of hens is pecking in a backyard.

Backyard urban chickens are illegal in this city but some homeowners are flouting that law and even sharing their hens' eggs with neighbours.

Meet the illegal backyard chickens

6 years ago

Duration 0:30

Backyard urban chickens are illegal in this city but some homeowners are flouting that law and even sharing their hens' eggs with neighbours.

One woman says that instead of angering her neighbours, her hobby has brought the community together.

"More than half of the neighbours here all know that we've had these hens for eight years. They bring their children over, they bring their grandchildren over," she said.

"It's a real delight to see some of these kids when they'll go into the box and see eggs in there and their faces just light up."

CBC News is not naming the woman as she fears reprisals from the city for breaking the Responsible Pet Ownership Bylaw, which bans livestock in urban areas.

The bylaws explicitly states that farm animals are "generally inappropriate for a dense urban environment" and can add noise, odours and pests to a community. As well, the bylaw warns urban neighbourhoods aren't appropriate for farm animal living.

The family has seven hens tucked away in an old backyard garage renovated to be a chicken coop. The space has windows,the walls and ceilings covered with old tin moulding and multiple nesting and perching spots.

Each day, the six golden comet breed hens usually lay an egg each. The eldest hen, a black Ameraucana named Darth Vader, lays only occasionally and her eggs are blue.

"I do have two minds but we're not going to get rid of them. It's been eight years and not one single complaint or negative comment about this," the woman said

"It's more than just the eggs. It's the therapy of being around them."

When neighbours first found out, she started sharing the eggs with them.

Now they enjoy visiting, she said, including a father and his son who has autism. Another neighbour watches them when the family travels.

When the women'sbrother had terminal cancer, they used to sit in the backyard chatting and scattering feed at their feet.

"The hens would quietly and peacefully peck away. And I mean, I have really nice memories of those special times," she said.

An advocacy group called the Canadian Liberated Urban Chicken Klub(CLUCK) estimates 400 families in Calgary are raising hens.

But the City of Calgary has not signalled that the debate will be reopened.

"No one has ever had a negative comment about this," the chicken-raiser said. "In fact, I think if the city bylaw people came by here to take the hens, they would have a backlash."

Other Alberta towns have allowed urban chickens, including Okotoks, and Edmonton extended a pilot project in March, allowing up to 50 chicken-raising permits in the city.

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With files from Donna McElligott and theCalgary Eyeopener.