Want to learn all about keeping urban hens?
Attend a free workshop to learn tips and tricks on how to care for chickens and about the city’s guidelines for keeping urban hens.
The workshops will be from 6-7 p.m. on Thursday, July 24 and Thursday, Sept. 11 at the Comox Strathcona Waste Management Compost Education Center, 228 South Dogwood Street (corner of Pinecrest and South Dogwood, across from Strathcona Gardens). These events are open to the public, and pre-registration is not required.
Cathy Leselake, owner of Bird Brain Acres, will lead both workshops. She has been a hobby farmer for 30 years, and will share from her wide range of farming experience, including highlights from showing her urban hens in competitions.
“The workshop will be fun and informative. Cathy will talk about selecting the right chickens, coop design, food, predators and how to keep happy and healthy chickens,” says Elaine Jansen of the CSWM Compost Education Centre. “We often get questions about chickens at the centre, and with the city now permitting urban hens, we thought a workshop was a great opportunity to provide interested citizens with information.”
City of Campbell River residents are now permitted to keep up to six hens on residential lots. In December 2013, the City of Campbell River approved amendments to the Zoning Bylaw, Animal Control Bylaw and Ticketing for Bylaw Offences Bylaw to regulate the keeping of hens.
People interested in keeping hens in residential areas must:
- obtain a licence from the City to keep hens.
- pay a one-time processing fee of $10.
- familiarize themselves with the City’s regulations.
Find more information on urban hens, under City Hall / Green City / Urban Hens on the City’s website (www.campbellriver.ca).