---
title: Cranbrook backyard chickens, bees and livestock rules
question: "Can I keep chickens, bees, or other livestock?"
place: Cranbrook, British Columbia, Canada
place_path: ca/bc/cranbrook
category: Pets, animals and wildlife
owner: municipal
owner_body: City of Cranbrook
sources_read: 2026-11-05
review: machine_checked
canonical: "https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/cranbrook/backyard-chickens/"
json: "https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/cranbrook/backyard-chickens.json"
---

# Cranbrook backyard chickens, bees and livestock rules

**Question:** Can I keep chickens, bees, or other livestock?

**Short answer:** Not on a residential lot in the zones read. The City of Cranbrook's Animal Control Bylaw allows poultry, bees and farm animals only where the Zoning Bylaw permits them, and the residential zones read do not. Some zone parts could not be read, so ask the City before buying birds or hives.

**Who handles it:** Municipal (City of Cranbrook, https://www.cranbrook.ca)  
**Cost:** No fee or permit is stated. Bylaw notice for unlawfully keeping farm animals, poultry, pigeons or bees: $125 ($100 if paid within 14 days, $150 after 28 days).  
**Where:**
- Phone: Animal Control (Bylaw Services), 250-489-9598
- Phone: City Hall (Engineering and Development Services, zoning questions), 250-426-4211

## Key facts

- **Hens allowed:** Not clearly allowed. The Animal Control Bylaw allows poultry (which includes chickens) only as the Zoning Bylaw provides. The R-1 zone's permitted uses list no agricultural use; the RT zone (2 ha minimum parcels) permits agricultural use, which excludes keeping poultry for commercial purposes. Other zones were not checked.
  - Source: [Animal Control Bylaw No. 3845, 2016 (consolidated to February 27, 2023), s. 6.5(a); s. 1.2.1 'Poultry'](https://cranbrook.civicweb.net/document/76528)
  - Official wording: "No PARCEL of land within the CITY may be used for the keeping," … "harbouring or raising of POULTRY except as provided for by the City of" … "includes chickens,"
  - Source: [Zoning Bylaw No. 3977, 2019, Part 7.04 Residential Zone (R-1), Part 7.04 s. .1](https://cranbrook.civicweb.net/document/2007)
  - Official wording: "Permitted Principal Uses" … "(d) Four family dwelling"
  - Source: [Zoning Bylaw No. 3977, 2019, Part 7.03 Residential Transition Zone (RT), Part 7.03 s. .1, .3](https://cranbrook.civicweb.net/document/2006)
  - Official wording: "Agricultural use, excluding feed lots and the keeping for sale of pigs," … "The minimum parcel size in the RT Zone shall be 2.0 ha in area."
  - Source: [Zoning Bylaw No. 3977, 2019, Part 3 Definitions, Part 3 'Agricultural Use'](https://cranbrook.civicweb.net/document/2000)
  - Official wording: "AGRICULTURAL USE means the use of land or building(s) for the growing, rearing," … "pigs, sheep, poultry, fur-bearing animals and mushrooms for commercial purposes."
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06
- **Most hens:** Not confirmed. No official text read for Cranbrook states this.
- **Roosters:** Not confirmed. No official text read for Cranbrook states this.
- **Coop rules:** Where poultry are allowed, a building or structure used to shelter poultry or to store or handle poultry manure or compost must be at least 30 m from a parcel line and 30 m from a domestic well, spring, lake or watercourse.
  - Source: [Zoning Bylaw No. 3977, 2019, Part 4 General Regulations, Part 4, s. 4.08.5(b)](https://cranbrook.civicweb.net/document/2001)
  - Official wording: "of manure or compost of poultry or dairy cattle shall be located no closer" … "30.0 m from a parcel line" … "30.0 m from a domestic well, spring, or natural boundary of a"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06
- **Permit or registration:** Not confirmed. No official text read for Cranbrook states this.
- **Bees:** Not clearly allowed. No parcel may be used for keeping bees except as the Zoning Bylaw provides. A 'bee' means a honey bee kept in an apiary registered under the Province. No zoning provision on bees was found in the parts read.
  - Source: [Animal Control Bylaw No. 3845, 2016 (consolidated to February 27, 2023), s. 6.6(a); s. 1.2.1 'Bee'](https://cranbrook.civicweb.net/document/76528)
  - Official wording: "No PARCEL of land within the CITY may be used for the keeping," … "Cranbrook Zoning Bylaw." … "means a honey bee kept in an apiary, registered under the"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06
- **Other livestock:** Farm animals (cattle, horses, swine, sheep, goats, mules, donkeys, llamas) may not be kept in the City except as the Zoning Bylaw provides. Vietnamese pot-bellied pigs may be kept as pets (certification on request). Fur-bearing animals and pigeons are also only as zoning provides.
  - Source: [Animal Control Bylaw No. 3845, 2016 (consolidated to February 27, 2023), ss. 6.1(a), 6.2(a), 6.4(a), 6.7(a)](https://cranbrook.civicweb.net/document/76528)
  - Official wording: "FARM ANIMALS shall not be permitted to be kept, harboured or raised" … "Vietnamese pot-bellied pigs may be kept as PETS on any PARCEL of land" … "No PARCEL of land within the CITY may be used for the keeping,"
  - Source: [Animal Control Bylaw No. 3845, 2016 (consolidated to February 27, 2023), s. 1.2.1 'Farm Animal'](https://cranbrook.civicweb.net/document/76528)
  - Official wording: "cattle, oxen, horses, swine (except"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06
- **Bylaw:** City of Cranbrook Animal Control Bylaw No. 3845, 2016 (ss. 6.1 to 6.7) and Zoning Bylaw No. 3977, 2019
  - Source: [Animal Control Bylaw No. 3845, 2016 (consolidated to February 27, 2023), s. 1.1](https://cranbrook.civicweb.net/document/76528)
  - Official wording: "City of Cranbrook Animal Control" … "Bylaw No. 3845, 2016"
  - Source: [Zoning Bylaw No. 3977, 2019, Part 4 General Regulations](https://cranbrook.civicweb.net/document/2001)
  - Official wording: "Part 4 Zoning Bylaw No. 3977, 2019"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06

## How it works

The City of Cranbrook's [Animal Control Bylaw 3845](https://cranbrook.civicweb.net/document/76528) says poultry (which includes chickens, ducks and geese), bees, pigeons and farm animals may be kept only as the [Zoning Bylaw 3977](https://cranbrook.civicweb.net/filepro/documents/573) provides. The City has no page on backyard hens or bees.

## Good to know

- **Hens and bees are not allowed on residential lots in the zones read.** The R-1 zone's permitted uses list no agricultural use. The RT zone (parcels of at least 2 ha) permits agricultural use, but that excludes keeping poultry for commercial purposes. Some zone parts (R-2, RS, R-6 to R-8) could not be read, and other zones were not checked, so ask the City about yours.
- **Numbers and rules:** no official text we read states a maximum number of hens, a rule on roosters, a coop size or a registration. Noise from a bird that unduly disturbs the neighbourhood is banned separately.
- **Siting:** where poultry are allowed, a building that shelters poultry or stores their manure must be at least 30 m from a parcel line and from a domestic well, spring, lake or watercourse.
- **Bees:** a "bee" is a honey bee kept in an apiary registered with the Province. No zoning provision on bees was found.
- **Farm animals** (cattle, horses, swine, sheep, goats, mules, donkeys, llamas), fur-bearing animals and pigeons are also allowed only as zoning provides. Vietnamese pot-bellied pigs may be kept as pets.
- **Ask first:** call Animal Control at 250-489-9598, or Engineering and Development Services at 250-426-4211, and give your address and zone.

## Official forms and pages

- [Animal Control Bylaw 3845, 2016 (consolidated to February 27, 2023, PDF)](https://cranbrook.civicweb.net/document/76528)
- [Zoning Bylaw No. 3977, 2019](https://cranbrook.civicweb.net/filepro/documents/573)

## Related questions

- [How many dogs or cats you can keep in Cranbrook](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/cranbrook/how-many-pets.md)
- [Cranbrook dog licences: fees and how to get one](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/cranbrook/dog-licence.md)

## The same question elsewhere

- [Backyard chicken rules in British Columbia, by municipality](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/backyard-chickens.md)
- [Kimberley](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/kimberley/backyard-chickens.md)
- [Fernie](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/fernie/backyard-chickens.md)
- [Canal Flats](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/canal-flats/backyard-chickens.md)
- [Sparwood](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/sparwood/backyard-chickens.md)
- [Creston](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/creston/backyard-chickens.md)
- [Elkford](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/elkford/backyard-chickens.md)

## Sources

- [Animal Control, City of Cranbrook](https://www.cranbrook.ca/our-city/city-departments/bylaw-services/animal-control) (read 2026-11-05)
- [Animal Control Bylaw No. 3845, 2016 (consolidated to February 27, 2023) (PDF)](https://cranbrook.civicweb.net/document/76528) (read 2026-11-05)
- [Zoning Bylaw No. 3977, 2019, Part 3 Definitions (PDF)](https://cranbrook.civicweb.net/document/2000) (read 2026-11-05)
- [Zoning Bylaw No. 3977, 2019, Part 7.03 Residential Transition Zone (RT) (PDF)](https://cranbrook.civicweb.net/document/2006) (read 2026-11-05)
- [Zoning Bylaw No. 3977, 2019, Part 7.04 Residential Zone (R-1) (PDF)](https://cranbrook.civicweb.net/document/2007) (read 2026-11-05)
- [Zoning Bylaw No. 3977, 2019, Part 4 General Regulations (PDF)](https://cranbrook.civicweb.net/document/2001) (read 2026-11-05)
- [Bylaw Notice Enforcement Bylaw No. 4049, 2021, Schedule A1 (PDF)](https://cranbrook.civicweb.net/document/106176) (read 2026-11-05)

_Checked by script, not yet by a person: the official wording behind 5 of 8 facts was matched to the official text; 3 could not be confirmed. Gov Handbook is an independent guide, not affiliated with City of Cranbrook. How answers are checked: https://govhandbook.com/methods/ · Canonical page: https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/cranbrook/backyard-chickens/_