{"title":"Sooke backyard chickens, bees and livestock rules","question":"Can I keep chickens, bees, or other livestock in Sooke?","slug":"backyard-chickens","place":{"path":"ca/bc/sooke","name":"Sooke","region":{"code":"bc","name":"British Columbia"},"country":{"code":"ca","name":"Canada"}},"category":{"slug":"pets-and-wildlife","name":"Pets, animals and wildlife"},"owner":"municipal","owner_label":"Municipal","owner_body":{"name":"District of Sooke","url":"https://sooke.ca"},"short_answer":"In Sooke's small-scale multi-unit residential, multi-family and comprehensive development zones, you can keep up to 6 hens in an enclosed run on a lot over 600 m² and under 2,000 m². Roosters and livestock are banned on lots under 2,000 m². The bylaws do not mention bees.","aliases":["backyard chickens sooke","hens sooke","chicken coop rules sooke","livestock sooke"],"cost":"No permit or fee found. Fine for unlawful keeping of hens: $100.","how_long":"Not applicable","where":[{"type":"phone","label":"District of Sooke Bylaw Services","value":"250-642-1634","note":"Municipal Hall, 2205 Otter Point Road, Monday to Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m."}],"documents":[],"forms":[{"title":"Zoning Bylaw No. 600 (PDF)","url":"https://www.sooke.ca/media/4amdk3cw/bylaw-600-consolidation-to-2026-04-16.pdf"}],"related":[{"slug":"how-many-pets","title":"How many dogs or cats you can keep in Sooke","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/sooke/how-many-pets/"},{"slug":"noise-rules","title":"Sooke noise bylaw: quiet hours, construction hours and fines","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/sooke/noise-rules/"},{"slug":"zoning-lookup","title":"Sooke zoning: find your zone and what it allows","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/sooke/zoning-lookup/"},{"slug":"bylaw-fines","title":"Sooke bylaw fines and how tickets work","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/sooke/bylaw-fines/"}],"nearby":[{"place":"ca/bc/metchosin","name":"Metchosin","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/metchosin/backyard-chickens/"},{"place":"ca/bc/langford","name":"Langford","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/langford/backyard-chickens/"},{"place":"ca/bc/colwood","name":"Colwood","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/colwood/backyard-chickens/"},{"place":"ca/bc/highlands","name":"Highlands","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/highlands/backyard-chickens/"},{"place":"ca/bc/view-royal","name":"View Royal","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/view-royal/backyard-chickens/"},{"place":"ca/bc/esquimalt","name":"Esquimalt","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/esquimalt/backyard-chickens/"}],"topic":{"title":"Backyard chicken rules in British Columbia, by municipality","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/backyard-chickens/"},"facts":{"hens_allowed":{"label":"Hens allowed","value":"In small-scale multi-unit residential (R1-R3), multi-family and comprehensive development zones: no hens under 600 m²; up to 6 in enclosed runs on lots over 600 m² and under 2,000 m². The rural zones RU1 to RU4 permit 'Agriculture' (raising livestock); no hen limit is stated there.","short":"No under 600 m²; up to 6 on 600 m² to 2,000 m²","status":"stated","sources":[{"url":"https://www.sooke.ca/media/4amdk3cw/bylaw-600-consolidation-to-2026-04-16.pdf","title":"Zoning Bylaw No. 600 (PDF), District of Sooke","section":"s. 3.5","quotes":["b) The keeping of female poultry is prohibited on lots less than 600 m 2 in area;","c) The keeping of up to 6 female poultry in enclosed runs is permitted on lots","less than 2,000 m2 but more than 600 m2.","AGRICULTURE means the use of land, buildings, and structures for growing, rearing,","producing and harvesting of agricultural products or raising livestock; includes processing"]}],"check":{"result":"matched","text_date":"2026-11-06"}},"max_hens":{"label":"Most hens","value":"Up to 6 female poultry on lots over 600 m² and under 2,000 m² (in the zones named in s. 3.5). No cap is stated for lots of 2,000 m² or more.","short":"Up to 6 on lots of 600 m² to 2,000 m²","status":"stated","sources":[{"url":"https://www.sooke.ca/media/4amdk3cw/bylaw-600-consolidation-to-2026-04-16.pdf","title":"Zoning Bylaw No. 600 (PDF), District of Sooke","section":"s. 3.5(c)","quotes":["c) The keeping of up to 6 female poultry in enclosed runs is permitted on lots"]}],"check":{"result":"matched","text_date":"2026-11-06"}},"roosters":{"label":"Roosters","value":"No, not on lots under 2,000 m² (male poultry are prohibited) in the zones named in s. 3.5.","short":"No on lots under 2,000 m²","status":"stated","sources":[{"url":"https://www.sooke.ca/media/4amdk3cw/bylaw-600-consolidation-to-2026-04-16.pdf","title":"Zoning Bylaw No. 600 (PDF), District of Sooke","section":"s. 3.5(a)","quotes":["a) The keeping of livestock and male poultry is prohibited on lots less than"]}],"check":{"result":"matched","text_date":"2026-11-06"}},"coop_rules":{"label":"Coop rules","value":"Runs must give at least 0.8 m² per bird and coops at least 0.2 m² per bird. A building or structure for animals must not be in the front yard and must be at least 6 m from any lot line.","status":"stated","sources":[{"url":"https://www.sooke.ca/media/4amdk3cw/bylaw-600-consolidation-to-2026-04-16.pdf","title":"Zoning Bylaw No. 600 (PDF), District of Sooke","section":"s. 3.5(c), (d)","quotes":["Runs shall provide at least 0.8 m2","space per bird and coops of at least 0.2 m 2 of space per bird;","d) A building or structure used for the keeping of animals must not be located in","the front yard, and must be located at least 6 m from any lot line."]}],"check":{"result":"matched","text_date":"2026-11-06"}},"registration":{"label":"Permit or registration","value":null,"status":"unknown","reason":"not_found","sources":[]},"bees":{"label":"Bees","value":null,"status":"unknown","reason":"not_found","sources":[]},"other_livestock":{"label":"Other livestock","value":"In the zones named in s. 3.5, livestock (cattle, sheep, swine, horses, ponies, llamas, mules, goats and other domesticated animals bred for meat, dairy, hides or hair) are prohibited on lots under 2,000 m².","status":"stated","sources":[{"url":"https://www.sooke.ca/media/4amdk3cw/bylaw-600-consolidation-to-2026-04-16.pdf","title":"Zoning Bylaw No. 600 (PDF), District of Sooke","section":"s. 3.5(a) and definition","quotes":["a) The keeping of livestock and male poultry is prohibited on lots less than","LIVESTOCK includes cattle, sheep, swine, horses, ponies, llamas, mules or goats or any"]}],"check":{"result":"matched","text_date":"2026-11-06"}},"bylaw":{"label":"Bylaw","value":"Sooke Zoning Bylaw, 2013 (Bylaw No. 600), s. 3.5; and Bylaw No. 392, Animal Regulation and Impounding Bylaw, 2009","status":"stated","sources":[{"url":"https://www.sooke.ca/media/4amdk3cw/bylaw-600-consolidation-to-2026-04-16.pdf","title":"Zoning Bylaw No. 600 (PDF), District of Sooke","section":"title","quotes":["Sooke Zoning Bylaw, 2013"]},{"url":"https://www.sooke.ca/media/4h1nsegt/animal-regulation-and-impounding-bylaw-no-392-consolidated.pdf","title":"Animal Regulation and Impounding Bylaw No. 392 (PDF), District of Sooke","section":"title","quotes":["Bylaw No. 392, Animal Regulation and Impounding Bylaw, 2009"]}],"check":{"result":"matched","text_date":"2026-11-06"}}},"facts_summary":{"total":8,"stated":6,"matched":6,"none":0,"unknown":2},"body_markdown":"## How it works\n\nSection 3.5 of the [Zoning Bylaw No. 600](https://www.sooke.ca/media/4amdk3cw/bylaw-600-consolidation-to-2026-04-16.pdf) covers small-scale multi-unit residential (R1 to R3), multi-family and comprehensive development zones. In those zones, hens are not allowed on lots under 600 m². Up to 6 female poultry in enclosed runs are allowed on lots over 600 m² and under 2,000 m². Male poultry (roosters) and livestock are prohibited on lots under 2,000 m².\n\nThe rural zones RU1 to RU4 list \"Agriculture\" (which includes raising livestock) as a use. No hen limit is stated for them, and no cap is stated for lots of 2,000 m² or more.\n\n## Good to know\n\n- Runs must give at least 0.8 m² per bird and coops at least 0.2 m² per bird.\n- A building or structure for animals must not be in the front yard and must be at least 6 m from any lot line.\n- Livestock here means cattle, sheep, swine, horses, ponies, llamas, mules, goats and other domesticated animals bred for meat, dairy, hides or hair. Ducks and other fowl are not separately addressed.\n- No permit, licence or registration for hens was found, and nothing on beekeeping in the zoning, animal or fees bylaws.\n- The ticket for unlawful keeping of hens is $100, and for unlawful keeping of animals is $100.\n- Check your zone and any rules for your lot with Bylaw Services at 250-642-1634 or bylaw@sooke.ca.","sources":[{"url":"https://www.sooke.ca/programs-services/building-and-renovating/information-bulletins/","title":"Information Bulletins | District of Sooke","accessed":"2026-11-06"},{"url":"https://www.sooke.ca/media/4amdk3cw/bylaw-600-consolidation-to-2026-04-16.pdf","title":"Zoning Bylaw No. 600 (PDF), District of Sooke","accessed":"2026-11-06"},{"url":"https://www.sooke.ca/media/4h1nsegt/animal-regulation-and-impounding-bylaw-no-392-consolidated.pdf","title":"Animal Regulation and Impounding Bylaw No. 392 (PDF), District of Sooke","accessed":"2026-11-06"},{"url":"https://www.sooke.ca/media/qnrli50n/836-municipal-ticket-information-bylaw-consolidated-july-16-2026.pdf","title":"Municipal Ticket Information Bylaw No. 836 (PDF), District of Sooke","accessed":"2026-11-06"}],"sources_read":"2026-11-06","review":{"status":"machine_checked","badge":"Checked against official text","label":"Checked by script, not yet by a person: the official wording behind 6 of 8 facts was matched to the official text; 2 could not be confirmed."},"urls":{"html":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/sooke/backyard-chickens/","markdown":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/sooke/backyard-chickens.md","json":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/sooke/backyard-chickens.json"}}