Backyard chickens give Morinville family fresh take on healthy food

Jill Ladouceur and her family are looking forward to all the fresh eggs.

The family applied to obtain an animal ownership exemption permit, which allows them to keep chickens in their Morinville backyard.

They were told they were the first in town to submit an application.

"It is really important to us to teach our children about healthy eating," said Jill Ladouceur. "We want chickens because we have five children in our family and [want] to give healthy food to our family."

Sgt. William Norton, an enforcement officer with the town, said the Ladouceurs are the only family to successfully complete an application but four other families have shown interest in the pilot project.

Norton said the regulations now in place seem to have covered any potential problems that could come up, and he hopes the project will be successful.

Residents who want to participate must meet an extensive checklist of requirements, such as yard measurements, chicken coop design plans and a one-day chicken course at the University of Alberta.

The Ladouceurs were required to get letters of permission from their immediate neighbours, including the KFC outlet across the alley.

"Finally we got our chickens Thursday, just last week," Ladouceur said.

The hens came from a nearby breeder at a cost of $40 each. The Ladouceurs have invested approximately $700, coop and all.

They chose five silver-laced Wyandotte chickens and one olive-egger chicken that lays green eggs.

Ladouceur expects to collect 36 eggs per week from her brood.

"We are not allowed to distribute the eggs to friends and family, we need to keep them within our home. With five kids, it is going to be pretty simple to keep the eggs."