{"title":"Tahsis backyard chickens, bees and livestock rules","question":"Can I keep chickens, bees, or other livestock in Tahsis?","slug":"backyard-chickens","place":{"path":"ca/bc/tahsis","name":"Tahsis","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":"Village of Tahsis","url":"https://villageoftahsis.com"},"short_answer":"Yes. In Tahsis you may keep up to six hens (no roosters) on any lot in any zone, in a coop that meets the Zoning Bylaw's rules. Up to two beehives per lot are also allowed. Other livestock is allowed only on larger lots.","aliases":["backyard chickens tahsis","keep hens tahsis","bees tahsis","livestock tahsis"],"cost":"No permit, licence or fee for hens is mentioned in the bylaws read.","how_long":"Not applicable.","where":[{"type":"phone","label":"Village of Tahsis Municipal Office","value":"(250) 934-6344","note":"Monday to Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m."}],"documents":[],"forms":[{"title":"Zoning Bylaw No. 630, 2020 (PDF)","url":"https://villageoftahsis.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/bylaw-630.pdf"}],"related":[{"slug":"how-many-pets","title":"How many dogs or cats you can keep in Tahsis","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/tahsis/how-many-pets/"},{"slug":"zoning-lookup","title":"Tahsis zoning: find your zone and what it allows","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/tahsis/zoning-lookup/"},{"slug":"fence-rules","title":"Tahsis fence rules: permits and height limits","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/tahsis/fence-rules/"}],"nearby":[{"place":"ca/bc/gold-river","name":"Gold River","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/gold-river/backyard-chickens/"},{"place":"ca/bc/campbell-river","name":"Campbell River","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/campbell-river/backyard-chickens/"},{"place":"ca/bc/port-hardy","name":"Port Hardy","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/port-hardy/backyard-chickens/"},{"place":"ca/bc/tofino","name":"Tofino","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/tofino/backyard-chickens/"},{"place":"ca/bc/cumberland","name":"Cumberland","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/cumberland/backyard-chickens/"},{"place":"ca/bc/courtenay","name":"Courtenay","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/courtenay/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. Keeping backyard hens is a permitted \"urban agricultural use\", which is allowed on any parcel in every zone, subject to the conditions in s. 3.3.","short":"Yes, any parcel in every zone","status":"stated","sources":[{"url":"https://villageoftahsis.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/bylaw-630.pdf","title":"Zoning Bylaw No. 630, 2020 (PDF), Village of Tahsis","section":"ss. 3.1(1)(c), 2.1(2) \"Urban Agricultural Use\", 3.3(7)","quotes":["c) urban agricultural use","includes the keeping of honey bees and backyard hens","The keeping of hens is a permitted urban agricultural use provided that:"]},{"url":"https://villageoftahsis.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/bylaw-630.pdf","title":"Zoning Bylaw No. 630, 2020 (PDF), Village of Tahsis","section":"s. 3.1(1)","quotes":["On any parcel, the use of land, buildings and structures for the following principal uses is"]}],"check":{"result":"matched","text_date":"2026-11-08"}},"max_hens":{"label":"Most hens","value":"Six hens per lot.","short":"Six hens","status":"stated","sources":[{"url":"https://villageoftahsis.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/bylaw-630.pdf","title":"Zoning Bylaw No. 630, 2020 (PDF), Village of Tahsis","section":"s. 3.3(7)(a)","quotes":["the maximum number of hens shall be six (6) per lot;"]}],"check":{"result":"matched","text_date":"2026-11-08"}},"roosters":{"label":"Roosters","value":"Not allowed.","short":"No","status":"stated","sources":[{"url":"https://villageoftahsis.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/bylaw-630.pdf","title":"Zoning Bylaw No. 630, 2020 (PDF), Village of Tahsis","section":"s. 3.3(7)(b)","quotes":["roosters are not permitted;"]}],"check":{"result":"matched","text_date":"2026-11-08"}},"coop_rules":{"label":"Coop rules","value":"A coop is required, with at least 0.37 m² per hen, no more than 3 m high, and subject to the setback and location rules for an accessory building. It must be kept clean and free of odours, substances and vermin.","status":"stated","sources":[{"url":"https://villageoftahsis.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/bylaw-630.pdf","title":"Zoning Bylaw No. 630, 2020 (PDF), Village of Tahsis","section":"s. 3.3(7)(c)-(f)","quotes":["a coop must be provided to house the hens and said enclosure must provide a","minimum of zero point three seven (0. 37) square metres per hen;","coops shall not exceed three (3) metres in height;","coops shall be subject to the setback and location requirements of an accessory building;"]}],"check":{"result":"matched","text_date":"2026-11-08"}},"registration":{"label":"Permit or registration","value":null,"status":"unknown","reason":"not_found","sources":[]},"bees":{"label":"Bees","value":"Yes, as an urban agricultural use: bees in hives, at most two hives with colonies per lot, hives at least 4 m from neighbouring houses, sidewalks, streets and public areas, hives at least 3 m above grade, securely located, ventilated and near water, following the provincial Bee Regulation.","status":"stated","sources":[{"url":"https://villageoftahsis.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/bylaw-630.pdf","title":"Zoning Bylaw No. 630, 2020 (PDF), Village of Tahsis","section":"s. 3.3(6)","quotes":["The keeping of honey bees is a permitted urban agricultural use provided that:","only two hives with colonies shall be permitted per lot;","hives shall be at least four (4) metres from any neighbouring house, sidewalks,","hives must be located at least a minimum of three (3) metres above grade level"]}],"check":{"result":"matched","text_date":"2026-11-08"}},"other_livestock":{"label":"Other livestock","value":"Agricultural use, including keeping livestock for domestic purposes only, is permitted on a parcel of 0.4 ha or more. Livestock (chickens, horses, turkeys, cattle, hogs, rabbits, sheep and goats raised for agricultural purposes) may only be kept on lots greater than 0.4 ha.","status":"stated","sources":[{"url":"https://villageoftahsis.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/bylaw-630.pdf","title":"Zoning Bylaw No. 630, 2020 (PDF), Village of Tahsis","section":"ss. 3.1(2), 3.3(8), 2.1(2) \"Livestock\"","quotes":["agricultural use is permitted, including the keeping of livestock for domestic purposes only.","The keeping and raising of livestock for agricultural use is only permitted on lots greater than","means chickens, horses, turkeys, cattle, hogs, rabbits, sheep and goats raised for agricultural purposes"]}],"check":{"result":"matched","text_date":"2026-11-08"}},"bylaw":{"label":"Bylaw","value":"Village of Tahsis Zoning Bylaw No. 630, 2020 (s. 3.1, 3.3), as amended; Animal Control and Licensing Bylaw No. 420, 1997 for animals running at large.","status":"stated","sources":[{"url":"https://villageoftahsis.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/bylaw-630.pdf","title":"Zoning Bylaw No. 630, 2020 (PDF), Village of Tahsis","section":"s. 1.1","quotes":["ZONING BYLAW No. 630, 2020"]},{"url":"https://villageoftahsis.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/bylaw420.animal-control-licensing-1997-amended.pdf","title":"Animal Control and Licensing Bylaw No. 420, 1997, as amended (PDF), Village of Tahsis","section":"s. 1","quotes":["This bylaw may be cited as the \"Animal Control and Licensing Bylaw No. 420, 1997\"."]}],"check":{"result":"matched","text_date":"2026-11-08"}}},"facts_summary":{"total":8,"stated":7,"matched":7,"none":0,"unknown":1},"body_markdown":"## How it works\n\nUnder the Village's [Zoning Bylaw No. 630](https://villageoftahsis.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/bylaw-630.pdf), keeping backyard hens is a permitted \"urban agricultural use\". It is allowed on any parcel in every zone, subject to the conditions in section 3.3. A \"hen\" is a domesticated female chicken at least four months old.\n\n## Good to know\n\n- Hens: six per lot. Roosters are not allowed.\n- Coop: required, with at least 0.37 m² per hen and no more than 3 m high. It follows the setback and location rules for an accessory building, which the bylaw sets out in section 3.5. Keep it clean and free of odours, substances and vermin.\n- Bees: allowed as an urban agricultural use, at most two hives with colonies per lot. Hives must be at least 4 m from neighbouring houses, sidewalks, streets and public areas, at least 3 m above grade, securely located, ventilated and near water, following the provincial Bee Regulation.\n- Other livestock (chickens, horses, turkeys, cattle, hogs, rabbits, sheep and goats raised for agricultural purposes, or livestock kept for domestic purposes only) is allowed only on larger lots: 0.4 ha or more in one section, \"greater than 0.4 hectares\" in another.\n- The bylaws I read mention no permit, licence or registration for hens.\n- The [Animal Control Bylaw](https://villageoftahsis.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/bylaw420.animal-control-licensing-1997-amended.pdf) also bars poultry and other animals from running at large.","sources":[{"url":"https://villageoftahsis.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/bylaw-630.pdf","title":"Zoning Bylaw No. 630, 2020 (PDF), Village of Tahsis","accessed":"2026-11-08"},{"url":"https://villageoftahsis.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/bylaw420.animal-control-licensing-1997-amended.pdf","title":"Animal Control and Licensing Bylaw No. 420, 1997, as amended (PDF), Village of Tahsis","accessed":"2026-11-08"}],"sources_read":"2026-11-08","review":{"status":"machine_checked","badge":"Checked against official text","label":"Checked by script, not yet by a person: the official wording behind 7 of 8 facts was matched to the official text; 1 could not be confirmed."},"urls":{"html":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/tahsis/backyard-chickens/","markdown":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/tahsis/backyard-chickens.md","json":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/tahsis/backyard-chickens.json"}}