Become a hen keeper in your own backyard!

Want to raise hens in your own backyard? The Town of Strathmore launched a two year pilot project on August 8 which allows you to do just that!

You can get all the details here, but some of the key things you need to know are that you have to keep 2-4 hens, and have to notify your neighbours before you proceed. While the project was initially set to start in June, the avian flu delayed it to August. Town of Strathmore's Manager of Municipal Enforcement Claudette Thorhaug says it's unfortunate the delay happened, but the town now feels very comfortable proceeding in a safe manner.

"They (Thorhaug's avian-expert contacts) were good with migratory season being over, and the avian flu has less of a chance to spread to urban hens in Strathmore. There hasn't been many within our region and with the coops being fully enclosed there's not much contact between migratory birds and the hens," she said.

Since initially passing the bylaw on May 22, Thorhaug says there has been a good amount of interest in the program.

"When it first came to council, it seemed that there was about a dozen people interested. Home-schooling families, members of the community that have moved here from other communities, they really had an interest in the urban hen bylaw for education purposes and just for the fact that you can get your own eggs."

While she's happy with the interest, she hopes more people join the pilot project to get the most out of it.

"It would be great to see the support of the pilot project so it will continue. In two years time it will be reviewed."

"It would be great to get feedback from those who are part of the pilot project. We are interested in their feedback, they could provide and dos and don'ts that they have experienced and we can look at amending the bylaw accordingly. This is for our residents, and if they have any issues I think they should come forward and work with our department."

As for why you should join, Thorhaug said most of the interest lies in having free range hens, fresh eggs, and having a unique education opportunity for children.

If you're interested in signing up, Thorhaug said it's important to understand the responsibilities associated with caring for hens and to do your due diligence.

"One main thing is to make sure you have an approved course, it's like a chicken 101 course, there are some online and some on our website. But that's not the be-all end-all. The certificate will give you a more in depth background of what you would be getting into when it comes to being a hen keeper."

She also encourages you to review the bylaw so you can avoid any fines.

"We want to make this a positive experience for the residents but at the same time we have to have enforcement in place for those that don't follow the bylaw."

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