{"title":"Spallumcheen backyard chickens, bees and livestock rules","question":"Can I keep chickens, bees, or other livestock?","slug":"backyard-chickens","place":{"path":"ca/bc/spallumcheen","name":"Spallumcheen","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":"Township of Spallumcheen","url":"https://www.spallumcheentwp.bc.ca"},"short_answer":"In the Township of Spallumcheen, backyard hens are allowed in the R.1 zone: 6 hens on parcels under 0.5 acre, 12 on 0.5 acre or more, and no roosters. Livestock, poultry and bees on rural lots depend on the zone (Small Holding, Country Residential, A.2, Large Holding).","aliases":["backyard chickens spallumcheen","keep hens spallumcheen","bees spallumcheen","livestock zoning spallumcheen"],"cost":"Section 416 mentions no Township permit or fee.","how_long":"Not applicable.","where":[{"type":"phone","label":"Planning and Development, Township office","value":"250-546-3013","note":"Monday to Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m."}],"documents":[],"forms":[{"title":"Zoning Bylaw No. 1700, 2008 (PDF)","url":"https://spallumcheen.civicweb.net/document/34972/"}],"related":[{"slug":"how-many-pets","title":"How many dogs or cats you can keep in Spallumcheen","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/spallumcheen/how-many-pets/"},{"slug":"zoning-lookup","title":"Spallumcheen zoning: find your zone and what it allows","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/spallumcheen/zoning-lookup/"},{"slug":"noise-rules","title":"Spallumcheen noise bylaw: quiet hours, construction hours and fines","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/spallumcheen/noise-rules/"}],"nearby":[{"place":"ca/bc/armstrong","name":"Armstrong","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/armstrong/backyard-chickens/"},{"place":"ca/bc/enderby","name":"Enderby","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/enderby/backyard-chickens/"},{"place":"ca/bc/vernon","name":"Vernon","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/vernon/backyard-chickens/"},{"place":"ca/bc/coldstream","name":"Coldstream","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/coldstream/backyard-chickens/"},{"place":"ca/bc/lumby","name":"Lumby","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/lumby/backyard-chickens/"},{"place":"ca/bc/lake-country","name":"Lake Country","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/lake-country/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":"Yes in the R.1 zone under Zoning Bylaw s. 416. Elsewhere there is no hens clause: Small Holding allows poultry as restricted agricultural use (owner's personal use only); Country Residential allows poultry as limited agricultural use (6 animal units per hectare or less); A.2 and Large Holding allow intensive agricultural use.","short":"Yes in R.1 zone; other zones vary","status":"stated","sources":[{"url":"https://spallumcheen.civicweb.net/document/34972/","title":"Zoning Bylaw No. 1700, 2008 (PDF), Township of Spallumcheen","section":"s. 416; s. 701.1(e)","quotes":["Backyard Hens are permitted within the R1 Zone with the following conditions:","Backyard Hens subject to the provisions of Section 416 of this Bylaw","uses and no others shall be permitted in the Country Residential Zone (C.R.):","poultry, or other animals or birds of like kind in concentrations of six (6) animal units or less"]},{"url":"https://spallumcheen.civicweb.net/document/34972/","title":"Zoning Bylaw No. 1700, 2008 (PDF), Township of Spallumcheen","section":"s. 801.1(f); definition of Agricultural Use, Restricted","quotes":["Restricted agricultural use","rabbits, poultry, doves, bees, and other animals or","birds of like kind for the personal use of the owner only"]}],"check":{"result":"matched","text_date":"2026-11-06"}},"max_hens":{"label":"Most hens","value":"6 hens on parcels under 2,023 m² (0.5 acre); 12 hens on parcels of 2,023 m² (0.5 acre) or more.","short":"6 or 12 hens, by parcel size","status":"stated","sources":[{"url":"https://spallumcheen.civicweb.net/document/34972/","title":"Zoning Bylaw No. 1700, 2008 (PDF), Township of Spallumcheen","section":"s. 416(2)","quotes":["six (6) hens may be kept on parcels less than 2,023 square metres (0.5","twelve (12) hens may be kept on parcels equal to or greater than 2,023"]}],"check":{"result":"matched","text_date":"2026-11-06"}},"roosters":{"label":"Roosters","value":"No roosters are permitted.","short":"No","status":"stated","sources":[{"url":"https://spallumcheen.civicweb.net/document/34972/","title":"Zoning Bylaw No. 1700, 2008 (PDF), Township of Spallumcheen","section":"s. 416(1)","quotes":["No roosters shall be permitted;"]}],"check":{"result":"matched","text_date":"2026-11-06"}},"coop_rules":{"label":"Coop rules","value":"Coop floor space at least 1.5 m² (16 sq ft), in a fully fenced rear yard. R.1 accessory building rules apply: at least 8 m from the front or exterior side lot line, 1.5 m from rear and side lot lines, 3 m from other buildings, and no higher than 5 m. Minimize noise and odour.","status":"stated","sources":[{"url":"https://spallumcheen.civicweb.net/document/34972/","title":"Zoning Bylaw No. 1700, 2008 (PDF), Township of Spallumcheen","section":"s. 416(3), (4)","quotes":["has a minimum floor space of 1.5 square metres (16 square feet); and","is situated in a rear yard that is fully enclosed by a fence, wall or hedge;","adheres to the accessory building siting and height requirements of the","not allow fecal waste material to accumulate.","8 metres (26.25 feet) from any front or exterior side lot line; and","1.5 metres (4.921 feet) from any rear or side lot line; and","3 metres (9.842 feet) from any other building or structure.","be constructed with a maximum height of 5 metres (16.40 feet)."]}],"check":{"result":"matched","text_date":"2026-11-06"}},"registration":{"label":"Permit or registration","value":"A person who keeps hens must register for a BC Premise ID. Section 416 mentions no Township permit or fee.","short":"No Township permit; BC Premise ID","status":"stated","sources":[{"url":"https://spallumcheen.civicweb.net/document/34972/","title":"Zoning Bylaw No. 1700, 2008 (PDF), Township of Spallumcheen","section":"s. 416(4)(a)","quotes":["register for a BC Premise ID; and"]}],"check":{"result":"matched","text_date":"2026-11-06"}},"bees":{"label":"Bees","value":"Not in R.1. Small Holding allows bees as restricted agricultural use (personal use only). Country Residential allows bees as limited agricultural use (6 animal units per hectare or less); A.2 and Large Holding allow intensive agricultural use. 250,000 bees equal one animal unit (Schedule E, outside the ALR).","status":"stated","sources":[{"url":"https://spallumcheen.civicweb.net/document/34972/","title":"Zoning Bylaw No. 1700, 2008 (PDF), Township of Spallumcheen","section":"s. 701.1; s. 801.1(f); definitions","quotes":["uses and no others shall be permitted in the Residential Single Family Zone","rabbits, poultry, doves, bees, and other animals or","birds of like kind for the personal use of the owner only","keeping of pigeons, doves, or other animals or birds of like kind and the keeping of bees,","poultry, or other animals or birds of like kind in concentrations of six (6) animal units or less","250, 000     bees"]}],"check":{"result":"matched","text_date":"2026-11-06"}},"other_livestock":{"label":"Other livestock","value":"Not permitted in R.1. Small Holding: restricted agricultural use allows horses, sheep, goats, cattle at 3 animal units or less per hectare. Country Residential: limited agricultural use allows horses, sheep, goats, cattle, rabbits and poultry at 6 animal units or less per hectare. Poultry and rabbits may not stray (Bylaw 838).","status":"stated","sources":[{"url":"https://spallumcheen.civicweb.net/document/34972/","title":"Zoning Bylaw No. 1700, 2008 (PDF), Township of Spallumcheen","section":"definition of Agricultural Use, Restricted","quotes":["is also permitted in concentrations of three (3) animal units or less","per hectare (1.214 animal units per acre)","horses, sheep, goats, cattle, dairy cows, fur bearing animals (except mink and fox), rabbits,","per hectare (2.428 animal units per acre). Swine are also permitted to be kept provided that","units or less per hectare (1.214 animal units per acre)."]},{"url":"https://spallumcheen.civicweb.net/document/34972/","title":"Zoning Bylaw No. 1700, 2008 (PDF), Township of Spallumcheen","section":"s. 701.1","quotes":["uses and no others shall be permitted in the Residential Single Family Zone"]}],"check":{"result":"matched","text_date":"2026-11-06"}},"bylaw":{"label":"Bylaw","value":"Township of Spallumcheen Zoning Bylaw No. 1700, 2008","status":"stated","sources":[{"url":"https://spallumcheen.civicweb.net/document/34972/","title":"Zoning Bylaw No. 1700, 2008 (PDF), Township of Spallumcheen","section":"title page","quotes":["ZONING BYLAW NO. 1700, 2008"]}],"check":{"result":"matched","text_date":"2026-11-06"}}},"facts_summary":{"total":8,"stated":8,"matched":8,"none":0,"unknown":0},"body_markdown":"## How it works\n\n[Zoning Bylaw No. 1700](<https://spallumcheen.civicweb.net/document/34972/>) section 416 allows backyard hens in the R.1 zone. Other zones are covered by their own agricultural-use rules. Check your lot's zone first.\n\n## Steps\n\n1. Confirm your lot is zoned R.1 (ask the Township office at 250-546-3013).\n2. Keep 6 hens if the parcel is under 2,023 m² (0.5 acre), or up to 12 if it is 2,023 m² or more. No roosters.\n3. Build a coop with floor space of at least 1.5 m² (16 sq ft), in a fully fenced rear yard.\n4. Register for a BC Premise ID.\n\n## Good to know\n\n- Coop location: at least 8 m from the front or exterior side lot line, 1.5 m from rear and side lot lines, 3 m from other buildings, and no higher than 5 m. Keep noise and odour down.\n- Hens are not allowed in other residential zones listed in s. 416. Other livestock is not permitted in R.1.\n- Small Holding: poultry, bees, and horses, sheep, goats and cattle (3 animal units or less per hectare) are allowed as restricted agricultural use, for the owner's personal use only.\n- Country Residential: poultry, rabbits, bees, horses, sheep, goats and cattle are allowed as limited agricultural use, at 6 animal units or less per hectare. A.2 and Large Holding allow intensive agricultural use.\n- 250,000 bees equal one animal unit on land outside the Agricultural Land Reserve (Schedule E).","sources":[{"url":"https://www.spallumcheentwp.bc.ca/services/contact-us.htm","title":"Contact Us - Spallumcheen Township","accessed":"2026-11-06"},{"url":"https://spallumcheen.civicweb.net/document/34972/","title":"Zoning Bylaw No. 1700, 2008 (PDF), Township of Spallumcheen","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 8 of 8 facts was matched to the official text."},"urls":{"html":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/spallumcheen/backyard-chickens/","markdown":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/spallumcheen/backyard-chickens.md","json":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/spallumcheen/backyard-chickens.json"}}