Urban Hen Keeping in Trochu
Pilot Program, July 1, 2024 to June 30, 2026
Starting in July of 2024, the Town of Trochu has implemented a pilot program to allow residents to keep hens in their backyards for personal use.
LINKS:
Hen Keeping Application (fillable PDF)
- It’s recommended that you apply for a PID online for faster approval
General Guidelines:
- There is an annual $50 fee for a Hen Keeping License and participants can keep at least two (2) and at most four (4) hens. Participants may not keep roosters.
- Licenses cannot be transferred to other people or properties.
- All participants must have a Premises Identification (PID) number from Alberta Agriculture and Forestry.
- All participants must have training or experience with hen keeping
- Participants must follow the Urban Hen Bylaw which includes regulations (some included below) on the size and location of coops, the good health of hens, storage and removal of materials including manure, bedding, and deceased fowl.
- Hens are to be kept for personal use only and participants may not sell any products derived from them
Coop Regulations (see bylaw for full rules):
- Coops must be located in fenced backyards and must meet the same setbacks as Accessory Buildings under the Land Use Bylaw. In most cases this means at least 1m away from all lot lines and other structures.
- Coops must have at least 4ft2 (0.37 m2) of interior floor area and 10ft2 (0.93 m2) of outdoor enclosure area per hen, with at least one nest box per coop and one perch per hen that is at least 6 inches (15 cm) long
- Coops must be kept in good condition and free from vermin and noxious or offensive smells and substances;
- Coops must be constructed to prevent rodents from living underneath or inside it and to prevent other animals from entrance.
- Coops must be secured from sunset to sunrise.
Hen Regulations (see bylaw for full rules):
- Hens must be provided with food, water, shelter, light, ventilation, care, and opportunities for essential behaviors such as scratching, dustbathing, and roosting, as sufficient to maintain good health.
- Hen feed must be stored within a fully enclosed container.
- Hen manure must be stored in a fully enclosed container (no more than three (3) cubic feet of manure at a time) and any manure not used for composting or fertilizing must be removed and disposed of properly.
- Hen bedding materials must not become unsightly or a fire hazard.
- Hens are not to be released into the wild, or slaughtered or buried on the property
- Hens are not to be disposed of except by delivery to a farm, abattoir, veterinarian, or other operation that is lawfully permitted to dispose of Urban Hens.
- Hens are not to be kept in a cage or any shelter other than a coop.
Training Available Online:
As part of your application for backyard hens, you must either have previous experience in keeping hens or complete a training course in person or online. Below are some courses that are presently being offered online. Please visit the websites directly to register and keep your receipt and/or proof of course completion.
Alberta Farm Animal Care (AFAC)
Backyard Chicken & Small Flock Care Workshop
(Email info@afac.ab.ca if there are no training dates available)
Chickens 101 Online
(Email info@rivercitychickens.org For more information and upcoming course dates, please
(On Facebook, you may be able to request alternate dates)