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GUELPH/ERAMOSA – Guelph/Eramosa’s councillors were not aligned on if backyard chickens should be allowed outside of larger agriculture zones. But they did ask staff to bring back a report on allowing them in smaller agricultural zones and rural residential areas where it will be considered at a later date.
In Guelph/Eramosa, hens fall under the definition of livestock and are only permitted on agriculturally zoned properties two acres or larger in size.
The township’s committee of the whole discussed an information report on backyard chickens and pigeons on smaller agriculture lots and residential areas at a Wednesday afternoon meeting with staff seeking direction on how to proceed.
The committee agreed hens should be allowed on smaller agricultural lots and some councillors felt it should be allowed in rural residential areas as people who want to have backyard chickens probably already do so illegally.
“I drive through Ariss, I see chickens today that are not legal but they’re running around there,” said Coun. Corey Woods. “So if chickens are in Ariss, who cares?”
Coun. Bruce Dickieson was on the same page, noting he probably wouldn’t want them in Rockwood but didn’t have a problem on smaller lots.
“It’s like the cannabis, whoever is doing it is already doing it,” said Coun. Steven Liebig.
Mayor Chris White was fine with smaller agricultural lots but was positive there are people who would care if there were chickens next door. He noted there’s a lot of concern around avian flu especially considering the township’s large agricultural industry.
“When this came up last time I received calls from the poultry farms who asked us not to do this,” White said.
He explained there’s a fear people will buy chickens but lose interest. Then these birds might get sick and dumped, potentially threatening local livestock.
“The poultry industry doesn’t want to see a plethora of sick birds in an agricultural area,” White said, noting more rural townships like Mapleton and Wellington North don’t allow backyard chickens either. “That’s probably because they got poultry farms that don’t want a plethora of sick birds or any one sick bird could wipe out somebody’s livestock. This is their livelihood.”
The committee decided not to further explore changes to its pigeon keeping bylaw because complaints are very rare.
They directed staff to bring back a report on allowing backyard hens in smaller agricultural lots and rural residential areas where council will make a decision on the matter.
