---
title: Granisle backyard chickens, bees and livestock rules
question: "Can I keep chickens, bees, or other livestock in Granisle?"
place: Granisle, British Columbia, Canada
place_path: ca/bc/granisle
category: Pets, animals and wildlife
owner: municipal
owner_body: Village of Granisle
sources_read: 2026-11-08
review: machine_checked
canonical: "https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/granisle/backyard-chickens/"
json: "https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/granisle/backyard-chickens.json"
---

# Granisle backyard chickens, bees and livestock rules

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

**Short answer:** In Granisle, the Zoning Bylaw allows up to six hens, no roosters, on lots zoned R-1, R-3, R-3A, RR-1 and RR-2. Older Village bylaws ban poultry and bees, and the bylaws do not say which prevails. Confirm with the Village Office first.

**Who handles it:** Municipal (Village of Granisle, https://villageofgranisle.ca)  
**Cost:** No permit, licence or fee for hens is set in the Zoning Bylaw.  
**Where:**
- Phone: Village Office, 250.697.2248

## Key facts

- **Hens allowed:** Zoning Bylaw s. 3.19 allows hens on residential or rural property zoned R-1, R-3, R-3A, RR-1 and RR-2. Hens are not allowed in R-2, C-1, C-2, I-1, I-2, I-3, P-1 or P-2. (Sources differ: Conflict: Poultry and Bees By-Law No. 203 (1989) bans keeping poultry and bees in the Village, and Bylaw 339 s. 38 says no fowl may be kept; the newer Zoning Bylaw No. 508 (2019) permits hens. No repeal of Bylaw 203 was found; the bylaws do not say which prevails.)
  - Source: [Zoning Bylaw No. 508, 2019, s. 3.19.1, 3.19.2](https://granisle.civicweb.net/document/1691/)
  - Official wording: "is permitted to possess:" … "No persons shall keep or harbor hens on land situated in the following"
  - Source: [Poultry and Bees By-Law No. 203, By-Law No. 203, s. 2](https://granisle.civicweb.net/document/182/)
  - Official wording: "No person or persons shall keep or harbour poultry and bees within the boundaries of"
  - Source: [Dog, Animal Control and Licensing Bylaw No. 339, 2001, s. 38](https://granisle.civicweb.net/document/179/)
  - Official wording: "No fowl or, animal shall be kept, or, run at large within the Village."
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08
- **Most hens:** Six hens.
  - Source: [Zoning Bylaw No. 508, 2019, s. 3.19.1(a)](https://granisle.civicweb.net/document/1691/)
  - Official wording: "a maximum of six (6) hens"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08
- **Roosters:** No roosters on residential or rural lots in R-1, R-3, R-3A, RR-1 and RR-2.
  - Source: [Zoning Bylaw No. 508, 2019, s. 3.19.3](https://granisle.civicweb.net/document/1691/)
  - Official wording: "No roosters shall be permitted on any lot residential and rural property"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08
- **Coop rules:** Hens must be in a coop: 0.37 m² per hen (max 9.2 m²) plus 0.92 m² of roofed outdoor run; 2 m high at most; rear or side of a single-family dwelling only; 4 m from any property line and 5 m from any dwelling; a nest box per hen; secured sunset to sunrise.
  - Source: [Zoning Bylaw No. 508, 2019, s. 3.19.4](https://granisle.civicweb.net/document/1691/)
  - Official wording: "A minimum of 0.37 m2 floor area per hen, with the provision that" … "the height shall not exceed 2 metres (6.56 feet), as measured" … "shall be located only to the rear or side of a single-family" … "the setback from any property line shall not be less than 4" … "the setback from any dwelling shall not be less than 5 metres" … "be secured from sunset to sunrise, with hens kept within."
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08
- **Permit or registration:** None set. Granisle's Zoning Bylaw sets no permit, licence, registration or fee for hens.
- **Bees:** Not allowed under the Poultry and Bees By-Law and Bylaw 339 s. 42 ("unlawful to maintain an apiary"). The Zoning Bylaw lists "the keeping of bees" as a permitted use in the RR-1 and RR-2 rural zones if buildings are at least 25 m from property lines and 10 m from any dwelling. (Sources differ: Conflict between the older bans and the 2019 Zoning Bylaw; the bylaws do not say which prevails.)
  - Source: [Poultry and Bees By-Law No. 203, By-Law No. 203, s. 2](https://granisle.civicweb.net/document/182/)
  - Official wording: "No person or persons shall keep or harbour poultry and bees within the boundaries of"
  - Source: [Dog, Animal Control and Licensing Bylaw No. 339, 2001, s. 42](https://granisle.civicweb.net/document/179/)
  - Official wording: "It shall be unlawful to maintain an apiary and keep bees within the Village."
  - Source: [Zoning Bylaw No. 508, 2019, s. 7.1.1(j)](https://granisle.civicweb.net/document/1691/)
  - Official wording: "kennels, the keeping of bees, horses, pigeons, poultry,"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08
- **Other livestock:** Bylaw 339 s. 36 says no animal (horses, cattle, goats, swine, fur-bearing or wild animals) may be kept in the Village. The Zoning Bylaw permits keeping horses, pigeons, poultry, sheep and fur-bearing animals in RR-1 and RR-2 if buildings are 25 m from property lines and 10 m from any dwelling, and livestock grazing (no feed lots). (Sources differ: Conflict between Bylaw 339 and the 2019 Zoning Bylaw; unresolved on the face of the documents.)
  - Source: [Dog, Animal Control and Licensing Bylaw No. 339, 2001, s. 36](https://granisle.civicweb.net/document/179/)
  - Official wording: "No animal shall be kept or harboured within the boundaries of the Village."
  - Source: [Zoning Bylaw No. 508, 2019, s. 7.1.1(j), (k)](https://granisle.civicweb.net/document/1691/)
  - Official wording: "purposes, provided that all buildings and structures used for such purposes are located not less than 25 m from any" … "livestock, grazing excluding feed lots;"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08
- **Bylaw:** Zoning Bylaw No. 508, 2019 (s. 3.19 Laying Hens); Village of Granisle Poultry and Bees By-Law No. 203, 1988; Dog, Animal Control and Licensing Bylaw No. 339, 2001
  - Source: [Zoning Bylaw No. 508, 2019, s. 3.19](https://granisle.civicweb.net/document/1691/)
  - Official wording: "3.19 Laying Hens .1 Notwithstanding the provisions of this Bylaw, any residential or rural that is zoned" … "VILLAGEOF GRANISLE ZONING BYLAWNO. 508, 2019" … "TABLE OF CONTENTS"
  - Source: [Poultry and Bees By-Law No. 203, s. 3](https://granisle.civicweb.net/document/182/)
  - Official wording: "Granisle Poultry and Bees By-Law No. 203,"
  - Source: [Dog, Animal Control and Licensing Bylaw No. 339, 2001, s. 1](https://granisle.civicweb.net/document/179/)
  - Official wording: "Dog, Animal Control and Licensing Bylaw No. 339, 2001"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08

## How it works

The newer [Zoning Bylaw No. 508](<https://granisle.civicweb.net/document/1691/>) (s. 3.19) allows hens on residential or rural property zoned R-1, R-3, R-3A, RR-1 and RR-2. Hens are not allowed in R-2, C-1, C-2, I-1, I-2, I-3, P-1 or P-2. Older bylaws say otherwise (see Good to know).

## Rules for hens

- Up to six hens. No roosters.
- Hens must be in a coop: 0.37 m² per hen (9.2 m² at most) plus 0.92 m² of roofed outdoor run, and no more than 2 m high.
- The coop goes at the rear or side of a single-family dwelling only, 4 m from any property line and 5 m from any dwelling.
- A nest box per hen, and the hens are secured from sunset to sunrise.
- The bylaw sets no permit, licence, registration or fee for hens.

## Good to know

- The [Poultry and Bees By-Law No. 203](<https://granisle.civicweb.net/document/182/>) bans poultry and bees in the Village, and the [Dog, Animal Control and Licensing Bylaw No. 339](<https://granisle.civicweb.net/document/179/>) says no fowl or apiary may be kept (ss. 38, 42). No repeal was found, and the bylaws do not say which prevails.
- Bees: the Zoning Bylaw lists keeping bees as permitted in RR-1 and RR-2 if buildings are at least 25 m from property lines and 10 m from any dwelling.
- Other livestock: Bylaw 339 s. 36 bars horses, cattle, goats, swine, and fur-bearing or wild animals. The Zoning Bylaw permits horses, pigeons, poultry, sheep and fur-bearing animals in RR-1 and RR-2 on the same distances, and livestock grazing (no feed lots).
- Call the Village Office, 250.697.2248, to confirm before you buy birds or hives.

## Official forms and pages

- [Zoning Bylaw No. 508, 2019 (PDF), Village of Granisle](https://granisle.civicweb.net/document/1691/)
- [Poultry and Bees By-Law No. 203 (PDF), Village of Granisle](https://granisle.civicweb.net/document/182/)
- [Dog, Animal Control and Licensing Bylaw No. 339, 2001 (PDF), Village of Granisle](https://granisle.civicweb.net/document/179/)

## Related questions

- [How many dogs or cats you can keep in Granisle](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/granisle/how-many-pets.md)
- [Granisle noise bylaw: quiet hours, construction hours and fines](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/granisle/noise-rules.md)
- [Granisle unsightly property rules and how to report](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/granisle/unsightly-property.md)

## The same question elsewhere

- [Backyard chicken rules in British Columbia, by municipality](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/backyard-chickens.md)
- [Telkwa](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/telkwa/backyard-chickens.md)
- [Smithers](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/smithers/backyard-chickens.md)
- [Houston](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/houston/backyard-chickens.md)
- [Burns Lake](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/burns-lake/backyard-chickens.md)
- [New Hazelton](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/new-hazelton/backyard-chickens.md)
- [Fort St James](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/fort-st-james/backyard-chickens.md)

## Sources

- [Zoning Bylaw No. 508, 2019 (PDF), Village of Granisle](https://granisle.civicweb.net/document/1691/) (read 2026-11-08)
- [Poultry and Bees By-Law No. 203 (PDF), Village of Granisle](https://granisle.civicweb.net/document/182/) (read 2026-11-08)
- [Dog, Animal Control and Licensing Bylaw No. 339, 2001 (PDF), Village of Granisle](https://granisle.civicweb.net/document/179/) (read 2026-11-08)

_Checked by script, not yet by a person: the official wording behind 7 of 8 facts was matched to the official text; 1 is recorded as not set. Gov Handbook is an independent guide, not affiliated with Village of Granisle. How answers are checked: https://govhandbook.com/methods/ · Canonical page: https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/granisle/backyard-chickens/_