Fredericton's urban chicken bylaw attracts a small flock

Two years after Fredericton city council approved backyard chickens within city limits four applications have been approved for a total of six approved birds.

Sebastian Salazar, a city planner, said the four properties are approved for a maximum of three hens each.

But he said two of those with permits for backyard chickens have moved away.

Council approved the urban chicken project on July 25 amidst worries of noise and smell accompanying the birds.

No complaints concerning chickens have ever been filed with animal control, bylaw enforcement or city zoning. 

Hazel Richardson is one of the successful applicants that moved from Fredericton to a nearby subdivision taking her chickens with her.

She was the largest voice championing the projects approval and headed the pilot project with three chickens for the city. 

"I think it was fantastic," says Richardson.

"It was the most wonderful experience. It really did everything I was hoping it would do." 

Richardson still helps with residents in other areas to start urban chicken farming.

She says the biggest hurdle now is the $250 price tag on the city variance needed to start a feathered farm. 

"Two-hundred and fifty dollars for an application when it's not certain that application will be approved is a lot of money for people to put down up front," says Richardson.

"But the ability to grow my own food and know where it comes from is totally worth it."

The price to apply for the city variance may eventually come down, according to the city planner.

"Some years down the road, if we feel that this is such a low impact operation in a residential neighbourhood, we may take away the variance approval application process," said Salazar.