---
title: Telkwa backyard chickens, bees and livestock rules
question: "Can I keep chickens, bees, or other livestock in Telkwa?"
place: Telkwa, British Columbia, Canada
place_path: ca/bc/telkwa
category: Pets, animals and wildlife
owner: municipal
owner_body: Village of Telkwa
sources_read: 2026-11-08
review: machine_checked
canonical: "https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/telkwa/backyard-chickens/"
json: "https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/telkwa/backyard-chickens.json"
---

# Telkwa backyard chickens, bees and livestock rules

**Question:** Can I keep chickens, bees, or other livestock in Telkwa?

**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.

**Who handles it:** Municipal (Village of Telkwa, https://www.telkwa.ca)  
**Cost:** No hen permit, licence or fee found in the bylaws.  
**Where:**
- Phone: Village Office, 250-846-5212 (Monday to Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. (closed 12:30 to 1:30 p.m.))
- Email: Village Office and bylaw complaints, info@telkwa.ca
- In person: Village Office, 1415 Hankin Ave, Telkwa, BC V0J 2X0

## Key facts

- **Hens allowed:** 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.
  - Source: [Zoning Bylaw No. 747, 2022, s. 3.19.1](https://telkwa.civicweb.net/document/32707/)
  - Official wording: "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."
  - Source: [Zoning Bylaw No. 747, 2022, s. 5.2.2 (R1)](https://telkwa.civicweb.net/document/32707/)
  - Official wording: ".3 Beekeeping .4 Day Care .5 Hen Keeping"
  - Source: [Zoning Bylaw No. 747, 2022, s. 9.2.2 (C2), 10.2.2 (C3)](https://telkwa.civicweb.net/document/32707/)
  - Official wording: ".4 Beekeeping .5 Day Care .6 Hen Keeping"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08
- **Most hens:** 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.
  - Source: [Zoning Bylaw No. 747, 2022, s. 3.19.2](https://telkwa.civicweb.net/document/32707/)
  - Official wording: "The number of hens allowed is as described in the Village of Telkwa Animal Control Bylaw."
  - Source: [Animal Control and Licensing Bylaw No. 691, 2019, s. 7.4(b), (c), (d)](https://telkwa.civicweb.net/document/31288/)
  - Official wording: "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: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08
- **Roosters:** No. Roosters may not be kept (they are also on the prohibited animals list).
  - Source: [Animal Control and Licensing Bylaw No. 691, 2019, s. 7.4(a)](https://telkwa.civicweb.net/document/31288/)
  - Official wording: "No person shall harbour: a) a rooster;"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08
- **Coop rules:** 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.
  - Source: [Zoning Bylaw No. 747, 2022, s. 3.19.3](https://telkwa.civicweb.net/document/32707/)
  - Official wording: "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: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08
- **Permit or registration:** Not confirmed. Not found in the official sources that were read.
- **Bees:** 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.
  - Source: [Zoning Bylaw No. 747, 2022, s. 3.20](https://telkwa.civicweb.net/document/32707/)
  - Official wording: "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: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08
- **Other livestock:** 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).
  - Source: [Animal Control and Licensing Bylaw No. 691, 2019, Schedule A](https://telkwa.civicweb.net/document/31288/)
  - Official wording: "Roosters • Horses • Cows • Pigs • Mules / donkeys • Goats / sheep • Llamas / alpaca"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08
- **Bylaw:** 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).
  - Source: [Zoning Bylaw No. 747, 2022, title](https://telkwa.civicweb.net/document/32707/)
  - Official wording: "The Village of Telkwa Zoning Bylaw No. 747, 2022"
  - Source: [Animal Control and Licensing Bylaw No. 691, 2019, title](https://telkwa.civicweb.net/document/31288/)
  - Official wording: "ANIMAL CONTROL AND LICENSING BYLAW NO. 691, 2019"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08

## How it works

Hens: 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.

## Good to know

- No roosters. They are also on the prohibited animals list.
- 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.
- No hen permit, licence or fee was found.
- 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.
- 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.

## Official forms and pages

- [Zoning Bylaw No. 747, 2022 (PDF)](https://telkwa.civicweb.net/document/32707/)
- [Animal Control and Licensing Bylaw No. 691, 2019 (PDF)](https://telkwa.civicweb.net/document/31288/)

## Related questions

- [How many dogs or cats you can keep in Telkwa](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/telkwa/how-many-pets.md)
- [Telkwa zoning: find your zone and what it allows](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/telkwa/zoning-lookup.md)
- [Telkwa fence rules: permits and height limits](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/telkwa/fence-rules.md)

## The same question elsewhere

- [Backyard chicken rules in British Columbia, by municipality](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/backyard-chickens.md)
- [Smithers](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/smithers/backyard-chickens.md)
- [Houston](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/houston/backyard-chickens.md)
- [Granisle](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/granisle/backyard-chickens.md)
- [New Hazelton](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/new-hazelton/backyard-chickens.md)
- [Terrace](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/terrace/backyard-chickens.md)
- [Burns Lake](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/burns-lake/backyard-chickens.md)

## Sources

- [Zoning Bylaw No. 747, 2022 (PDF), Village of Telkwa](https://telkwa.civicweb.net/document/32707/) (read 2026-11-08)
- [Animal Control and Licensing Bylaw No. 691, 2019 (PDF), Village of Telkwa](https://telkwa.civicweb.net/document/31288/) (read 2026-11-08)
- [Contact, Village of Telkwa](https://www.telkwa.ca/contact) (read 2026-11-08)

_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. Gov Handbook is an independent guide, not affiliated with Village of Telkwa. How answers are checked: https://govhandbook.com/methods/ · Canonical page: https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/telkwa/backyard-chickens/_