Nakusp backyard chickens, bees and livestock rules
Can I keep chickens, bees, or other livestock?
Short answer
Yes, in Nakusp you can keep up to five backyard hens per property in residential zones other than the RM-1 mobile home park zone, if the home is a single-family dwelling or duplex and the owner lives there. No permit, licence or fee is listed. Roosters are not allowed.
Key facts
| Hens allowed | Yes, in all residential zones except the RM-1 Mobile Home Park zone, if the property has a single-family dwelling or duplex and the owner lives there. Hens are for personal use only.Animal Control Bylaw No. 645, 2013 (consolidated January 15, 2020), Part II(a) s. 1(a), (b), (d) · Wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08Official wordingBackyard hens may be kept in all Residential Zones, except the RM-1 Mobile Home Park zone the owner of the backyard hens resides at the property where the backyard hens are kept; backyard hens are kept for personal use only; the sale of eggs, manure, meat or other products |
|---|---|
| Most hens | Five per property.Animal Control Bylaw No. 645, 2013 (consolidated January 15, 2020), Part II(a) s. 1(c) · Wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08Official wordingno more than five backyard hens are kept per property; |
| Roosters | Not allowed, except in a zone that permits agricultural uses.Animal Control Bylaw No. 645, 2013 (consolidated January 15, 2020), Part II(a) s. 1(l) · Wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08Official wordingthe keeping of roosters, except in a zone permitting agricultural uses in the Village of Nakusp |
| Coop rules | One coop, in the rear yard, fully enclosed. Not in the required rear or side yard setback. No more than 2 m high and 9 m² in area. At least 3 m from any window or door of a residential building.Animal Control Bylaw No. 645, 2013 (consolidated January 15, 2020), Part II(a) s. 1(j) · Wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08Official wordingthe coop must be located in the rear yard of a lot and must provide a fully enclosed area the coop must not exceed 2 meters in height; the coop must not exceed 9 square meters in total area; the coop must not be located closer that 3 meters from any window or door of a residential building; a single coop for the backyard hens |
| Permit or registration | None set. Nakusp's bylaw lists no permit, licence or registration for hens. |
| Bees | Not confirmed. Not found in the official sources that were read. |
| Other livestock | Not confirmed. Not found in the official sources that were read. |
| Bylaw | Animal Control Bylaw No. 645, 2013, Part II(a) (added by Bylaw 645-1); setbacks come from Zoning Bylaw No. 729, 2023Animal Control Bylaw No. 645, 2013 (consolidated January 15, 2020), s. 1; Animal Control Bylaw No. 645, 2013 (consolidated January 15, 2020), Part II(a) · Wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08Official wordingthe “Animal Control Bylaw No 645, 2013” Consolidated January 15, 2020 to include Bylaws 645-1, 645-2 and 645-3, 2019 PART II(a) – CONTROL OF BACKYARD HENS |
How it works
The Animal Control Bylaw No. 645 allows backyard hens in all residential zones except the RM-1 Mobile Home Park zone, if the property has a single-family dwelling or duplex and the owner lives there. Hens are for personal use only. Hens are female chickens at least four months old. Setbacks come from the Zoning Bylaw No. 729.
Good to know
- Limit: five hens per property. Roosters are not allowed, except in a zone that permits agricultural uses.
- Coop: one coop, in the rear yard, fully enclosed. Not in the required rear or side yard setback. No more than 2 m high and 9 m² in area. At least 3 m from any window or door of a residential building.
- No slaughter on the property. No burial of dead hens (dispose of them within 24 hours). No more than 1 cubic metre of composted manure. Store food securely.
- Registration: the bylaw lists no permit, licence or registration, and no fee.
- Bees: we found no beekeeping rule in the Animal Control or Zoning bylaws. Ask the Village Office at 250-265-3689.
- Other livestock: no rule on goats, horses or ducks in the R-1, R-2 and R-3 zones, and no livestock count rule. The RU-1 zone allows Agriculture and Kennel as principal uses. Ask the Village before buying animals.
Official forms and pages
The same question in other places
Silverton · Kaslo · Revelstoke · Lumby · Nelson · Enderby
Backyard chicken rules in British Columbia, by municipality →
Sources
- Animal Control Bylaw No. 645, 2013 (consolidated January 15, 2020) (PDF), Village of Nakusp (read 2026-11-08)
- Zoning Bylaw No. 729, 2023 (PDF), Village of Nakusp (read 2026-11-08)
- Contact Us, Village of Nakusp (read 2026-11-08)
Checked by script, not yet by a person: the official wording behind 5 of 8 facts was matched to the official text; 1 is recorded as not set; 2 could not be confirmed. How answers are checked.