Creston Town Council has approved the keeping of backyard hens, after the completion of a special pilot program.
Creston residents can now keep a maximum of six hens if they are located within areas zoned R1: Residential - Low Density or R5: Residential – Rural.
“Hens must have a valid Hen licence and there is some criteria that must be met,” the Town of Creston said on its website. “Licences expire on the 31st of December each year and must be renewed annually.”
The licence fee for keeping hens is $20 for the year. Licences expire on December 31 each year and must be renewed annually.
Hen owners are also required to have a valid Provincial Premises Identification Program Number.
The Premises Identification (ID) is a way of linking poultry and livestock (including bees) to specific geographic locations. Premises ID information includes contact information to inform planning, and responses to animal disease events or natural disaster emergencies like floods or fires.
According to the “Let’s Talk Creston” website, the pilot program launched by the Town of Creston permitted up to 10 local residents to keep up to six hens, after paying a license fee of $50, and submitting an owner authorization form. Once approved by7 the Town, residents could construct a coop, run, and related structures. After inspection, the husbandry of hens could begin.
The pilot project also required participants to keep a log of their experience, including how easy or hard it was to find feed and supplies, how the manure was disposed of, the ease of getting hens, hen death, wildlife interaction, noise and smell observation, and what the neighbours thought.
The pilot program included the stipulations that neighbours must be notified, proper cleaning and animal husbandry must be followed, hens cannot be slaughtered or disposed of in town, nor allow ( while living) inside a residential dwelling, or on a balcony or deck. Coops and runs can only be located in backyards, and cannot be visible from the street.
Roosters are not allowed.
Creston joins the small company of towns in the Kootenays who allow the keeping of poultry in urban areas. Sparwood has allowed hens for some years. Castlegar allows them, with restrictions with restriction similar to Creston’s: Conditions for keeping chickens include obtaining a license, no roosters, a maximum of five hens only four months of age or older, electric fencing, a coop or pen with minimum size requirements per hen and keeping coops out of view from the street.
Kimberley, Cranbrook and Nelson do not allow hens.