It's now legal for many more Vancouver residents to keep chickens in their backyards, with a number of restrictions. (CBC)

Vancouver city council amended an animal control bylaw Tuesday, making it legal to keep chickens on many more residential properties.

The change comes after a year of study and debate at city hall.

It had been legal to keep chickens only on properties one acre or larger.

Burnaby and New Westminster already allow residents to raise chickens outdoors, as do many cities in the U.S., including New York, Seattle and Portland.

The Vancouver amendment allows homeowners to keep up to four hens in a backyard coop. All hens must be registered with city hall.

Coops must be between four square feet and ten square feet in size and cannot be kept in front yards or on apartment or condominium balconies.

Other fowl such as roosters, ducks and turkeys are not allowed and eggs produced by the hens cannot be sold commercially.

When hens reach the end of their lifespan of up to six years, they cannot be killed by the owner but must be taken to a slaughterhouse or veterinarian for slaughter or euthanasia.

Council has set aside $20,000 to look after mistreated hens that have been seized by bylaw officers.