{"title":"Telkwa backyard chickens, bees and livestock rules","question":"Can I keep chickens, bees, or other livestock in Telkwa?","slug":"backyard-chickens","place":{"path":"ca/bc/telkwa","name":"Telkwa","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 Telkwa","url":"https://www.telkwa.ca"},"short_answer":"In Telkwa, hens are allowed only in zones that list Hen Keeping as an accessory use: R1, C2 and C3 (not R2 or R3). No roosters. The Animal Control Bylaw caps chickens at 10 on property under 0.91 ha. Bees are allowed in R1, C2 and C3.","aliases":["backyard chickens telkwa","keep hens telkwa","beekeeping telkwa","livestock bylaw telkwa"],"cost":"No hen permit, licence or fee found in the bylaws.","how_long":null,"where":[{"type":"phone","label":"Village Office","value":"250-846-5212","note":"Monday to Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. (closed 12:30 to 1:30 p.m.)"},{"type":"email","label":"Village Office and bylaw complaints","value":"info@telkwa.ca"},{"type":"in_person","label":"Village Office","value":"1415 Hankin Ave, Telkwa, BC V0J 2X0"}],"documents":[],"forms":[{"title":"Zoning Bylaw No. 747, 2022 (PDF)","url":"https://telkwa.civicweb.net/document/32707/"},{"title":"Animal Control and Licensing Bylaw No. 691, 2019 (PDF)","url":"https://telkwa.civicweb.net/document/31288/"}],"related":[{"slug":"how-many-pets","title":"How many dogs or cats you can keep in Telkwa","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/telkwa/how-many-pets/"},{"slug":"zoning-lookup","title":"Telkwa zoning: find your zone and what it allows","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/telkwa/zoning-lookup/"},{"slug":"fence-rules","title":"Telkwa fence rules: permits and height limits","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/telkwa/fence-rules/"}],"nearby":[{"place":"ca/bc/smithers","name":"Smithers","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/smithers/backyard-chickens/"},{"place":"ca/bc/houston","name":"Houston","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/houston/backyard-chickens/"},{"place":"ca/bc/granisle","name":"Granisle","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/granisle/backyard-chickens/"},{"place":"ca/bc/new-hazelton","name":"New Hazelton","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/new-hazelton/backyard-chickens/"},{"place":"ca/bc/terrace","name":"Terrace","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/terrace/backyard-chickens/"},{"place":"ca/bc/burns-lake","name":"Burns Lake","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/burns-lake/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":"Only in zones that list Hen Keeping as an accessory use: R1, C2 and C3 (not R2 or R3). Hens must be accessory to a dwelling and kept by a resident of the parcel.","short":"Only in R1, C2 and C3 zones","status":"stated","sources":[{"url":"https://telkwa.civicweb.net/document/32707/","title":"Zoning Bylaw No. 747, 2022 (PDF), Village of Telkwa","section":"s. 3.19.1","quotes":["The keeping of hens must be Accessory to the use of the Dwelling for Residential purposes and must be kept by a resident of the Parcel.","Any use not expressly permitted in this Bylaw is prohibited in every zone and where a particular use is expressly permitted in one zone, such use is prohibited in every zone where it is not also expressly permitted."]},{"url":"https://telkwa.civicweb.net/document/32707/","title":"Zoning Bylaw No. 747, 2022 (PDF), Village of Telkwa","section":"s. 5.2.2 (R1)","quotes":[".3 Beekeeping .4 Day Care .5 Hen Keeping"]},{"url":"https://telkwa.civicweb.net/document/32707/","title":"Zoning Bylaw No. 747, 2022 (PDF), Village of Telkwa","section":"s. 9.2.2 (C2), 10.2.2 (C3)","quotes":[".4 Beekeeping .5 Day Care .6 Hen Keeping"]}],"check":{"result":"matched","text_date":"2026-11-08"}},"max_hens":{"label":"Most hens","value":"The Zoning Bylaw refers to the Animal Control Bylaw: at most 10 chickens on property under 0.91 ha (1.5 acres), 20 on larger property. Chickens, turkeys and rabbits combined may not exceed half of those quantities.","short":"10 chickens under 0.91 ha; 20 on larger","status":"stated","sources":[{"url":"https://telkwa.civicweb.net/document/32707/","title":"Zoning Bylaw No. 747, 2022 (PDF), Village of Telkwa","section":"s. 3.19.2","quotes":["The number of hens allowed is as described in the Village of Telkwa Animal Control Bylaw."]},{"url":"https://telkwa.civicweb.net/document/31288/","title":"Animal Control and Licensing Bylaw No. 691, 2019 (PDF), Village of Telkwa","section":"s. 7.4(b), (c), (d)","quotes":["more than ten (10) chickens or three (3) rabbits on property under the size of 0.91 hectares (1.5 acres)","more than twenty (20) chickens, or six (6) rabbits, or six (6) turkeys on property over the size of 0.91 hectares (1.5 acres)","a combined amount of chickens, turkeys, or rabbits that exceeds half of the quantities mentioned in section 7.4(b) and 7.4(c)"]}],"check":{"result":"matched","text_date":"2026-11-08"}},"roosters":{"label":"Roosters","value":"No. Roosters may not be kept (they are also on the prohibited animals list).","short":"No","status":"stated","sources":[{"url":"https://telkwa.civicweb.net/document/31288/","title":"Animal Control and Licensing Bylaw No. 691, 2019 (PDF), Village of Telkwa","section":"s. 7.4(a)","quotes":["No person shall harbour: a) a rooster;"]}],"check":{"result":"matched","text_date":"2026-11-08"}},"coop_rules":{"label":"Coop rules","value":"Coop at most 6.0 m² floor area and 2.0 m high. Coop and pen at least 2.5 m from every side and rear lot line, in the rear yard behind the dwelling, and the rear yard must be fully fenced against predators. Store feed in an airtight container.","status":"stated","sources":[{"url":"https://telkwa.civicweb.net/document/32707/","title":"Zoning Bylaw No. 747, 2022 (PDF), Village of Telkwa","section":"s. 3.19.3","quotes":["The maximum size of a coop is 6.0 m² in Gross Floor Area and 2.0 m in Height;","The coop and the pen must be placed at least 2.5 m from the exterior Side Parcel Line, the interior Side Parcel Line, and the rear Parcel Line;","Food for hens must be stored in an airtight container that cannot be accessed by other wildlife if stored outside."]}],"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":"Allowed as an accessory use by a resident (R1, C2, C3 zones list Beekeeping). Two colonies at most on a parcel under 1,100 m² and one on a parcel under 600 m². Hive in the rear yard, at least 3.0 m from any parcel line; the rear yard must be fully fenced.","status":"stated","sources":[{"url":"https://telkwa.civicweb.net/document/32707/","title":"Zoning Bylaw No. 747, 2022 (PDF), Village of Telkwa","section":"s. 3.20","quotes":["No more than two (2) colonies of bees are permitted on a Parcel having an area less than 1,100 m².","No more than one (1) colony of bees are permitted on a Parcel having an area of less than 600 m².","A beehive is not permitted within 3.0 m of any Parcel Line.","The Rear Yard of a Parcel must be fully enclosed by a fence to prevent wildlife intrusion."]}],"check":{"result":"matched","text_date":"2026-11-08"}},"other_livestock":{"label":"Other livestock","value":"Prohibited animals (Animal Control Bylaw Schedule A) include roosters, horses, cows, pigs, mules and donkeys, goats and sheep, llamas and alpacas. Turkeys and rabbits are limited (see how-many-pets).","status":"stated","sources":[{"url":"https://telkwa.civicweb.net/document/31288/","title":"Animal Control and Licensing Bylaw No. 691, 2019 (PDF), Village of Telkwa","section":"Schedule A","quotes":["Roosters • Horses • Cows • Pigs • Mules / donkeys • Goats / sheep • Llamas / alpaca"]}],"check":{"result":"matched","text_date":"2026-11-08"}},"bylaw":{"label":"Bylaw","value":"Zoning Bylaw No. 747, 2022 (ss. 3.19 hens, 3.20 bees) and Animal Control and Licensing Bylaw No. 691, 2019 (s. 7.4, Schedule A).","status":"stated","sources":[{"url":"https://telkwa.civicweb.net/document/32707/","title":"Zoning Bylaw No. 747, 2022 (PDF), Village of Telkwa","section":"title","quotes":["The Village of Telkwa Zoning Bylaw No. 747, 2022"]},{"url":"https://telkwa.civicweb.net/document/31288/","title":"Animal Control and Licensing Bylaw No. 691, 2019 (PDF), Village of Telkwa","section":"title","quotes":["ANIMAL CONTROL AND LICENSING BYLAW NO. 691, 2019"]}],"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\nHens: the [Zoning Bylaw No. 747, 2022](<https://telkwa.civicweb.net/document/32707/>) (sections 3.19 and 3.20) allows them only in zones that list Hen Keeping as an accessory use, R1, C2 and C3. They must be accessory to a dwelling and kept by a resident of the parcel. The [Animal Control and Licensing Bylaw No. 691, 2019](<https://telkwa.civicweb.net/document/31288/>) (section 7.4) sets the numbers: at most 10 chickens on property under 0.91 ha (1.5 acres), 20 on larger property. Chickens, turkeys and rabbits combined may not exceed half those quantities.\n\n## Good to know\n\n- No roosters. They are also on the prohibited animals list.\n- Coop: at most 6.0 m² floor area and 2.0 m high. Coop and pen at least 2.5 m from every side and rear lot line, in the rear yard behind the dwelling. The rear yard must be fully fenced against predators. Store feed in an airtight container.\n- No hen permit, licence or fee was found.\n- Bees: allowed as an accessory use by a resident in R1, C2 and C3. Two colonies at most on a parcel under 1,100 m² and one on a parcel under 600 m². Hive in the rear yard, at least 3.0 m from any parcel line; the rear yard must be fully fenced.\n- Prohibited: roosters, horses, cows, pigs, mules, donkeys, goats, sheep, llamas and alpacas. Ducks and other poultry are not named in the limits; ask the Village Office, 250-846-5212.","sources":[{"url":"https://telkwa.civicweb.net/document/32707/","title":"Zoning Bylaw No. 747, 2022 (PDF), Village of Telkwa","accessed":"2026-11-08"},{"url":"https://telkwa.civicweb.net/document/31288/","title":"Animal Control and Licensing Bylaw No. 691, 2019 (PDF), Village of Telkwa","accessed":"2026-11-08"},{"url":"https://www.telkwa.ca/contact","title":"Contact, Village of Telkwa","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/telkwa/backyard-chickens/","markdown":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/telkwa/backyard-chickens.md","json":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/telkwa/backyard-chickens.json"}}