Burnaby backyard chickens, bees and livestock rules
Can I keep chickens, bees, or other livestock?
Short answer
Burnaby's Zoning Bylaw 2026 allows 2 to 4 hens, or up to two beehives, as a home use only on an R1 District lot at least 15 m wide and 560 m², with one house and no secondary suite. Roosters are banned. The sources read do not state a permit or fee.
Key facts
| Hens allowed | Yes, as a home use only. Chickens may be kept as an accessory use on a lot in the R1 District if the lot is at least 15 m wide and 560 m² and has only one primary dwelling unit with no secondary suite.Burnaby Zoning Bylaw 2026, Part 6 Use-Specific Regulations, s. 6.1.2(1)(a) · Wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06Official wordingKeeping of chickens for domestic purposes may be permitted as an accessory use on a lot in the R1 have a width of not less than 15 m and an area of not less than 560 m2; and contain only a single primary dwelling unit with no secondary suite. |
|---|---|
| Most hens | At least 2 and no more than 4 hens over four months old at one time.Burnaby Zoning Bylaw 2026, Part 6 Use-Specific Regulations, s. 6.1.2(1)(b) · Wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06Official wordingNo less than two and no more than four hens over the age of four months shall be kept at a |
| Roosters | No. Keeping roosters is prohibited.Burnaby Zoning Bylaw 2026, Part 6 Use-Specific Regulations, s. 6.1.2(1)(e)(i) · Wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06Official wordingthe keeping of roosters; |
| Coop rules | Each chicken needs at least 0.35 m² of weatherproof indoor coop space and at least 1.0 m² of outdoor enclosure attached to the coop. Coop and run must be in the rear yard, at least 2.4 m from other buildings on the lot, outside the required lot-line setbacks and outside vision clearance areas. Selling eggs, meat or manure, and slaughtering chickens on the lot, are prohibited.Burnaby Zoning Bylaw 2026, Part 6 Use-Specific Regulations, s. 6.1.2(1)(c) to (e) · Wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06Official wordingNo less than 0.35 m2 of weatherproof interior coop space; and No less than 1.0 m2 of outdoor enclosure area that is attached to and forms part of the a minimum distance of 2.4 m from all other buildings on the lot; the sale of eggs, meat, or manure; and |
| Permit or registration | Not confirmed. The sources read for Burnaby do not state a permit or fee. |
| Bees | Allowed as a home use only, on an R1 District lot at least 15 m wide and 560 m² with a single primary dwelling unit and no secondary suite. At most two beehives and two nucleus colonies. Hives go in the rear yard; unless the rear yard has a solid fence or hedge at least 1.8 m high, they must be at least 7.5 m from all lot lines and raised at least 2.5 m above the ground.Burnaby Zoning Bylaw 2026, Part 6 Use-Specific Regulations, s. 6.1.1 · Wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06Official wordingUrban beekeeping for domestic purposes may be permitted as an accessory use on a lot in the R1 Not more than two beehives and two nucleus colonies shall be maintained on the lot. set back not less than 7.5 m from all lot lines; and elevated not less than 2.5 m above the surface of the ground. |
| Other livestock | The Animal Control Bylaw does not allow animals listed in Schedule D (for example non-human primates, wild cats, bears, most ungulates other than bison and domestic cow, goat, sheep, pig, horse, mule, donkey, ass, llama and alpaca) to be sold, harboured or kept. The Zoning Bylaw Part 4 and Part 6 sections read set no rules for goats, horses or ducks on residential lots.Burnaby Animal Control Bylaw 1991 (No. 9609), consolidated, s. 6B, Schedule D · Wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06Official wordingNo person shall sell, harbour or keep any of the animals listed in Schedule “D”. all ungulates, except the bison and domestic breeds of cow, goat, sheep, pig, |
| Bylaw | Burnaby Zoning Bylaw 2026, Part 6 (ss. 6.1.1 and 6.1.2); Burnaby Animal Control Bylaw 1991 (No. 9609) for prohibited animals.Zoning Bylaw, Zoning Bylaw page; Burnaby Animal Control Bylaw 1991 (No. 9609), consolidated, title · Wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06Official wordingThe former Burnaby Zoning Bylaw 1965 has been replaced by Burnaby Zoning Bylaw 2026. BURNABY ANIMAL CONTROL BYLAW 1991 |
How it works
Burnaby has no stand-alone chicken page; the rules are in sections 6.1.1 and 6.1.2 of Zoning Bylaw 2026, in force July 1, 2026. Hens and bees are allowed as a home use only, on an R1 District lot at least 15 m wide and 560 m² with a single primary dwelling unit and no secondary suite. The text says chickens "may be permitted"; the sources do not say they are allowed in other districts.
Chickens (s. 6.1.2)
- At least 2 and no more than 4 hens over four months old at one time. No roosters.
- Each chicken needs at least 0.35 m² of weatherproof indoor coop space and at least 1.0 m² of attached outdoor enclosure.
- Coop and run go in the rear yard, at least 2.4 m from other buildings, outside the required lot-line setbacks and vision clearance areas.
- Selling eggs, meat or manure, and slaughtering chickens on the lot, are prohibited.
Bees (s. 6.1.1)
At most two beehives and two nucleus colonies, in the rear yard. Unless the rear yard has a solid fence or hedge at least 1.8 m high, hives must be at least 7.5 m from all lot lines and raised at least 2.5 m above the ground.
Good to know
- The Animal Control Bylaw bans selling, harbouring or keeping animals on its Schedule D (for example non-human primates, wild cats and bears). It does not set rules for goats, horses or ducks, and neither does the Zoning Bylaw's Part 4 or Part 6 as read. Ask Planning (planning@burnaby.ca) before buying any.
Official forms and pages
The same question in other places
Richmond · Port Moody · Belcarra · Vancouver · Port Coquitlam · North Vancouver
Backyard chicken rules in British Columbia, by municipality →
Sources
- Zoning Bylaw, City of Burnaby (read 2026-11-05)
- Burnaby Zoning Bylaw 2026, Part 6 Use-Specific Regulations (PDF) (read 2026-11-05)
- Burnaby Animal Control Bylaw 1991 (No. 9609), consolidated (PDF) (read 2026-11-05)
Checked by script, not yet by a person: the official wording behind 7 of 8 facts was matched to the official text; 1 could not be confirmed. How answers are checked.