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

# Lumby backyard chickens, bees and livestock rules

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

**Short answer:** Yes. In Lumby you may keep up to four laying hens on a lot with a single family dwelling or manufactured home zoned Rural or Residential (not the manufactured home park zone). No roosters on Residential lots or on Rural lots under 1 hectare. The bylaw states no permit.

**Who handles it:** Municipal (Village of Lumby, https://lumby.ca)  
**Cost:** No fee or registration is stated in the bylaw.  
**Where:**
- In person: Village of Lumby Municipal Hall, 1775 Glencaird Street, Lumby, BC (Monday to Friday, 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. and 1:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m.)
- Phone: Village of Lumby office, 250-547-2171

## Key facts

- **Hens allowed:** Yes: on any lot with a single family dwelling or manufactured home that is zoned Rural or Residential, except the R.5 (manufactured home park) zone.
  - Source: [Zoning Bylaw No. 750, 2012, s. 411.1](https://lumby.civicweb.net/document/7189/)
  - Official wording: "up to four (4) laying hens are permitted on any lot that contains a single family dwelling or manufactured home and is zoned Rural or Residential (except the R.5 zone) within the Village of Lumby."
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08
- **Most hens:** Four laying hens.
  - Source: [Zoning Bylaw No. 750, 2012, s. 411.1](https://lumby.civicweb.net/document/7189/)
  - Official wording: "up to four (4) laying hens are permitted on any lot that contains a single family dwelling or manufactured home and is zoned Rural or Residential (except the R.5 zone) within the Village of Lumby."
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08
- **Roosters:** No roosters on any lot zoned Residential, or on a Rural lot smaller than 1 ha (2.471 acres).
  - Source: [Zoning Bylaw No. 750, 2012, s. 411.1](https://lumby.civicweb.net/document/7189/)
  - Official wording: "No roosters shall be permitted on any lot zoned Residential or that is less than 1 ha (2.471 acres) and zoned Rural."
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08
- **Coop rules:** Hens must be fully enclosed in a building or structure of no more than 9.2 m² (100 sq ft) and 2 m (6.56 ft) high, at least 3 m from any dwelling door or window and at least 2 m from any property line, at the rear or side of the house (rear only, and screened, on a corner lot).
  - Source: [Zoning Bylaw No. 750, 2012, s. 411.2](https://lumby.civicweb.net/document/7189/)
  - Official wording: "All hens must be completely enclosed within a building or structure that meets the following regulations:" … "the maximum floor area shall not exceed 9.2 m2 (100 square feet)" … "the setback from any door or window of any dwelling shall not be less than 3 m (9.8 feet)" … "the setback from any property line shall be not less than 2 m (6.56 feet)." … "shall be screened and located to the rear of a single family dwelling on a corner lot"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08
- **Permit or registration:** None set. The Zoning Bylaw states no permit for keeping hens.
- **Bees:** Not addressed for residential (R) zones. Bees count as 'restricted agricultural use' (personal use only; Small Holding zone, lots of 1 ha or more) or 'limited agricultural use' (permitted in the Country Residential zone, six animal units or less per hectare).
  - Source: [Zoning Bylaw No. 750, 2012, s. 200 "Agricultural Use, Restricted"](https://lumby.civicweb.net/document/7189/)
  - Official wording: "the keeping of pigeons, rabbits, poultry, doves, bees, and other animals or birds of like kind for the personal use of the owner only." … "the keeping of bees, horses, sheep, goats, cattle, dairy cows, fur bearing animals (except mink and fox), rabbits, poultry, or other animals or birds of like kind in concentrations of six (6) animal units or less per hectare"
  - Source: [Zoning Bylaw No. 750, 2012, s. 1301.1, 1301.9.a](https://lumby.civicweb.net/document/7189/)
  - Official wording: "Restricted agricultural use subject to the provisions of Section 1301.9.a" … "a restricted agricultural use shall not be permitted on lots smaller than 1 ha (2.471 acres)"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08
- **Other livestock:** Small Holding (S.H.) zone: restricted agricultural use on lots of 1 ha or more, up to 3 horses per hectare. Country Residential (C.R.) zone: limited agricultural use, which includes horses, sheep, goats, cattle and poultry at six animal units or less per hectare. Not addressed for other residential lots apart from laying hens.
  - Source: [Zoning Bylaw No. 750, 2012, s. 200 "Agricultural Use, Restricted"](https://lumby.civicweb.net/document/7189/)
  - Official wording: "The keeping of horses, sheep, goats, cattle, or other animals of like kind is also permitted in concentrations of three (3) animal units or less per hectare" … "the keeping of bees, horses, sheep, goats, cattle, dairy cows, fur bearing animals (except mink and fox), rabbits, poultry, or other animals or birds of like kind in concentrations of six (6) animal units or less per hectare"
  - Source: [Zoning Bylaw No. 750, 2012, s. 1301.9.a](https://lumby.civicweb.net/document/7189/)
  - Official wording: "shall only permit the keeping of three (3) horses per 1 ha (2.471 acres) of land area."
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08
- **Bylaw:** Village of Lumby Zoning Bylaw No. 750, 2012, s. 411 (Laying Hens)
  - Source: [Zoning Bylaw No. 750, 2012, s. 411](https://lumby.civicweb.net/document/7189/)
  - Official wording: "410 Secondary Suites ............................................................................................... 20 411 Laying Hens ....................................................................................................... 21 412 Secondary Detached Dwellings ......................................................................... 21" … "VILLAGE OF LUMBY ZONING BYLAW NO. 750, 2012 CONSOLIDATED WITH AMENDMENTS FOR CONVENIENCE"
  - Source: [Zoning Bylaw No. 750, 2012, cover](https://lumby.civicweb.net/document/7189/)
  - Official wording: "ZONING BYLAW NO. 750, 2012"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08

## How it works

Laying hens are allowed under section 411 of the [Zoning Bylaw No. 750](<https://lumby.civicweb.net/document/7189/>) on any lot with a single family dwelling or manufactured home zoned Rural or Residential, except the R.5 (manufactured home park) zone. The limit is four laying hens.

## Good to know

- No roosters on any Residential lot, or on a Rural lot smaller than 1 hectare (2.471 acres). The bylaw is silent on roosters on larger Rural lots.
- Hens must be fully enclosed in a building or structure of no more than 9.2 m² (100 sq ft) and 2 m (6.56 ft) high.
- The coop must be at least 3 m from any dwelling door or window and at least 2 m from any property line, at the rear or side of the house (rear only, and screened, on a corner lot).
- No permit or registration for hens is stated in the bylaws we read.
- Bees: the bylaw does not address them for Residential zones. They count as agricultural use in the Small Holding zone (lots of 1 hectare or more) or the Country Residential zone.
- Other livestock: the Small Holding zone allows up to 3 horses per hectare on lots of 1 hectare or more. The Country Residential zone allows horses, sheep, goats, cattle and poultry at six animal units or less per hectare. Elsewhere, only laying hens are addressed. Wild or exotic animals may not be kept.
- Ask the Village office, 250-547-2171, before you buy animals.

## Official forms and pages

- [Zoning Bylaw No. 750, 2012](https://lumby.civicweb.net/document/7189/)

## Related questions

- [How many dogs or cats you can keep in Lumby](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/lumby/how-many-pets.md)

## The same question elsewhere

- [Backyard chicken rules in British Columbia, by municipality](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/backyard-chickens.md)
- [Coldstream](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/coldstream/backyard-chickens.md)
- [Vernon](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/vernon/backyard-chickens.md)
- [Spallumcheen](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/spallumcheen/backyard-chickens.md)
- [Armstrong](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/armstrong/backyard-chickens.md)
- [Enderby](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/enderby/backyard-chickens.md)
- [Lake Country](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/lake-country/backyard-chickens.md)

## Sources

- [Zoning Bylaw No. 750, 2012, Village of Lumby](https://lumby.civicweb.net/document/7189/) (read 2026-11-08)
- [Animal Control Bylaw No. 815, 2018, Village of Lumby](https://lumby.civicweb.net/document/3445/) (read 2026-11-08)
- [Contact us, Village of Lumby](https://lumby.ca/contact-us/) (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 Lumby. How answers are checked: https://govhandbook.com/methods/ · Canonical page: https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/lumby/backyard-chickens/_