Town of Smiths Falls, Ont. to allow residents to keep backyard chickens

Smiths Falls council has approved a one-year pilot project to allow residents to keep chickens for fresh eggs. CTV’s Shaun Vardon reports.

The town of Smiths Falls, Ont. is rolling out the welcome mat for backyard chickens.

Council approved a one-year pilot project to allow residents to keep chickens in their backyards for fresh eggs. Mayor Shawn Pankow cast the deciding vote.

Under the Backyard Hen Pilot Program, residents will be allowed to keep up to six backyard hens at a residential property or a property used primarily for residence. Hen coops must be draft-proof, dry and insulated from the public.

The motion was tabled last month but was delayed to allow for more public consultation.

“For me, the fairness was important that we weren’t putting a bigger onus on backyard hen owners than other pet owners,” coun. Chris McGuire said.

“Backyard hen owners will be getting an education package from the town and we will get their contact information so a year from now we will be able to see how this is working.”

Many residents are looking forward to having backyard chicken coops but not everyone is on board.

Liz Wheeler at Secondhand Story Chicken Sanctuary says this decision comes with risks.

Wheeler is concerned that the proposed bylaw falls short, neglecting the health and well-being of the birds and the long-term care required if they are abandoned.

“The gaps in protection for chickens and humans are almost too numerous to count,” Wheeler said.

“The proposed bylaw excludes critical safeguards such as registration, inspections, proactive enforcement, mandatory education contingency planning and emergency veterinary access.”

Wheeler told CTV News Ottawa there are already “many chickens” that need homes, adding, “we really should not be adding to the problem before resolving it.”

Pankow previously told CTV News he would support the motion, saying officials have carefully considered the details of the pilot and have looked at other communities who have implemented it.

Under the one-year pilot project, coops will not be permitted in front yards, residents will not be allowed to keep roosters, and hens are not allowed to roam in public places. Hens are free to wander in fenced backyards.

The sale of eggs from hens will also be prohibited.

Smiths Falls will not require residents to obtain a licence or pay a fee to keep hens. Staff say enforcement of the Backyard Hen Pilot Program will be on a complaint basis.

“I think one of the biggest issues is a lack of oversight,” Wheeler said. “There is no governance that will be happening, so without licencing, it will be a dangerous place for chickens. There is no ability for the city to enforce anything.”

With files from CTV News Ottawa’s Josh Pringle