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Tumbler Ridge backyard chickens, bees and livestock rules

Can I keep chickens, bees, or other livestock in Tumbler Ridge?

Tumbler Ridge, British ColumbiaChecked against official textSources read 2026-11-08

Short answer

In Tumbler Ridge, backyard hens are allowed for household use only (no selling), up to 8 hens, with a hen keeping licence ($20). Roosters are not allowed. Bees are allowed only in certain zones. Other livestock is limited by zoning.

Key facts

Hens allowedYes, as a minor agricultural operation for household use only (no sales), following the Animal Responsibility Bylaw. Section 5.11.1 lists R1, MHL, R2, R4, MHP, FD, P and RR (the use table shows R3, not R4). A hen keeping licence is required.Zoning Bylaw No. 747, 2025, consolidated, Zoning Bylaw s. 5.11; Municipal Ticket Information Bylaw No. 560, 2011, consolidated, Schedule 2, s. 102 · Wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08
Official wording
An Agricultural Operation, Minor, which can include backyard hen keeping, is permitted in the following zones: R1, MHL, R2,
R4, MHP, FD, P, and RR
does not permit the sales of the products produced, these products are only for personal
Keep backyard hens without a license
Most hensNo more than 8 hens (the ticket offence is 'keep over 8 hens').Municipal Ticket Information Bylaw No. 560, 2011, consolidated, Schedule 2, s. 102(c) · Wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08
Official wording
Keep over 8 hens or keep rooster, or other fowl or farm animals
RoostersNo. Keeping a rooster, other fowl or farm animals is a ticketable offence.Municipal Ticket Information Bylaw No. 560, 2011, consolidated, Schedule 2, s. 102(c) · Wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08
Official wording
Keep over 8 hens or keep rooster, or other fowl or farm animals
Coop rulesRun: secure, big enough, clean ground, in the rear of the property or at least 2.0 m from any parcel line. Coop: 2.0 m from rear or side parcel line where there is no lane; 0.5 m² floor per hen; 15 cm perch per hen; one nest box per four hens; kept clean. No caged hens. Keeper must live at the property and get the owner's permission.Municipal Ticket Information Bylaw No. 560, 2011, consolidated, Schedule 2, s. 102 · Wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08
Official wording
Failure to locate run in the rear of the property or at least 2.0m
Failure to site coop 2.0 m from the rear or side parcel line where
Failure to provide at least 0.5 m2 of coop floor area per hen
Keeping a hen in a cage
Fail to reside at the property where the hens are kept or fail to
Permit or registrationA hen keeping licence is required; $20.Fees and Charges Bylaw No. 623, 2017, consolidated, Schedule H; Municipal Ticket Information Bylaw No. 560, 2011, consolidated, Schedule 2, s. 102(a) · Wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08
Official wording
Commercial Kennel $150.00 Replacement Tag Fee $5.00 Hen Keeping Licence $20.00 Impoundment Fees Administration Fee $50.00
Keep backyard hens without a license
BeesAllowed only in the R2, R4, M1 and RR zones (the bylaw names R4 but defines no R4 zone). Hives at least 3 m from any property line; 2 hives on a parcel under 1,000 m², 4 on 1,000 to 2,000 m², 6 over 2,000 m²; in R2, written consent of abutting owners and tenants. Fence or height rules in s. 5.12.2.Zoning Bylaw No. 747, 2025, consolidated, Zoning Bylaw s. 5.12 · Wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08
Official wording
An apiary / backyard bee keeping is only permitted in the following zones: R2, R4, M1, and RR
Not locate a beehive within 3 m of any property line
No more than two beehives will be permitted on a parcel of less than 1,000m2
written consent from owners and tenants of abutting properties
An apiary / backyard bee keeping is only permitted in the following zones: R2, R4, M1, and RR, and subject to the requirements
Not locate a beehive within 3 m of any property line;
No more than two beehives will be permitted on a parcel of less than 1,000m2, 4 beehives on a parcel that is between 1,000m2
Other livestockHorses, cattle, sheep, poultry, ducks, geese and other livestock count as an 'Agricultural Operation, Major' (for sale); the zoning use table marks it only in R3, M1 and RR. Livestock in a non-prescribed zone is a $200 ticket. Hen keepers may not keep other fowl or farm animals.Municipal Ticket Information Bylaw No. 560, 2011, consolidated, Schedule 2, s. 63; Municipal Ticket Information Bylaw No. 560, 2011, consolidated, Schedule 2, s. 102(c); Zoning Bylaw No. 747, 2025, consolidated, Zoning Bylaw definitions, use table · Wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08
Official wording
Keep livestock in non-prescribed zone
Keep over 8 hens or keep rooster, or other fowl or farm animals
specifically includes a kennel and the keeping of horses, cattle, sheep, poultry, pigeons,
ducks, geese, and other livestock, adhering to the Animal Responsibility Bylaw. The products produced as a result of this
BylawZoning Bylaw No. 747, 2025 (s. 5.11 hens, s. 5.12 bees) and Animal Responsibility Bylaw No. 692, 2020.Zoning Bylaw No. 747, 2025, consolidated, Zoning Bylaw cover; Municipal Ticket Information Bylaw No. 560, 2011, consolidated, Schedule 1 · Wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08
Official wording
No. 747, 2025
Adopted May 26, 2025
Animal Responsibility Bylaw No. 692, 2020

How it works

Under the District of Tumbler Ridge's Zoning Bylaw No. 747, keeping hens is a minor agricultural operation for household use only, and sales are not allowed. Section 5.11.1 lists the zones R1, MHL, R2, R4, MHP, FD, P and RR (the use table shows R3, not R4). Hen keepers follow the Animal Responsibility Bylaw No. 692, 2020.

Good to know

  • Licence: a hen keeping licence is required ($20, Fees and Charges Bylaw No. 623). Keeping hens without one is a $100 ticket.
  • Limit: no more than 8 hens. No roosters, other fowl or farm animals.
  • Coop and run: the ticket schedule lists a secure, clean run in the rear of the property or at least 2.0 m from any parcel line; a coop 2.0 m from the rear or side parcel line where there is no lane; 0.5 m² of floor per hen; a 15 cm perch per hen; one nest box per four hens. No caged hens. The keeper must live at the property and have the owner's permission.
  • Selling eggs, manure or meat, and slaughtering hens in the District, are ticketable ($250 and $350).
  • Bees: allowed only in R2, R4, M1 and RR zones. Hives at least 3 m from any property line; 2 hives on a parcel under 1,000 m², 4 on 1,000 to 2,000 m², 6 over 2,000 m². In R2, you need written consent of abutting owners and tenants. See s. 5.12.2 for fencing and height rules.
  • Other livestock (horses, cattle, sheep, other poultry) counts as a major agricultural operation, shown only in R3, M1 and RR zones. Livestock in a zone that does not allow it is a $200 ticket.
  • Ask Bylaw Enforcement at 250-242-3939 to confirm your zone.

Official forms and pages

The same question in other places

Chetwynd · Dawson Creek · Pouce Coupe · Mackenzie · Taylor · Fort St. John

Backyard chicken rules in British Columbia, by municipality →

Sources

  1. Zoning Bylaw No. 747, 2025, consolidated (PDF), District of Tumbler Ridge (read 2026-11-08)
  2. Municipal Ticket Information Bylaw No. 560, 2011, consolidated (PDF), District of Tumbler Ridge (read 2026-11-08)
  3. Fees and Charges Bylaw No. 623, 2017, consolidated (PDF), District of Tumbler Ridge (read 2026-11-08)
  4. Municipal Bylaw Enforcement, District of Tumbler Ridge (read 2026-11-08)

Checked by script, not yet by a person: the official wording behind 8 of 8 facts was matched to the official text. How answers are checked.