bylaw infraction and my hens! HELP

Hello, I've had my hens for over a year now and I have received a letter from our city informing me that I am infracting the zoning bylaw and must get rid of my hens! Has anyone had to fight the city? What can I do now? I don't want to loose my hens and I'm furious as my children and I have become attached to them and have enjoyed raising them! Can they fine me? What actions can I take now? This has stressed me out! Yeah, aside from it being my responsibility to know the bylaw, blah, blah, blah I'm not interested in hearing about that. I don't see any harm in owning hens. We keep them clean, fed and take very good care of them! They have taught my children plenty and have been very rewarding to raise! Is there anyone out there that has a passion for their hens and has been through this?????

bummer, hope someone can help you!

They're legal in Vancouver; they're legal in Victoria.
Do a Google search on chickens & Burnaby, and you'll find the history - looks like a rubber stamp approach in 2010.
Find out the facts, and fight!

So sorry! Wishing you the best of luck!

I think what you need to do is explain that these girls are your pets. Not that you are trying to sustain yourselves with livestock.
My brother is a by law officer and he was saying if he could re write the by law to include the chickens as pets it would be much easier than to change the by laws to include agricultural animals.
You need to fight for this, I have sold many urban hens to people and they truely are pets. So go that route and I think you might be further ahead.
Because of Vancouver and Victoria legalizing them, I think you really have a chance, you just need to get discussions with the by law and with the city/town and get the by laws adusted to include them as your pets.

There is a discussion, and quite a bit of research that went into it, on another forum I belong to. If you want to read how things went down, and are going down, in Hamilton, ON, I invite you to join it and maybe it will help you figure out how to make a case.

I will PM you the URL.
Cheers.

I wish you luck.!!! I would be wondering who? reported you. It is unlikely that the bae officer just happened to notice on his way by. Maybe with a little work you can find other residents in your area that are supporters of your cause who would help you fight.

Well this is just plain stupid. Vancouver is a big city, Burnaby is a big, not sure what it is called....why Vancouver and not Burnaby. Ya, you need to find out what to do for surely. Good luck. I know a couple of years ago they allow chicken keeping in the city of Vancouver, how can Burnaby be different, they border each other. Blah. Good luck, hope you get to a good bottom of this. With that, try to have a good day, CynthiaM.

All I can say is let this experience fuel you to start a movement legalizing backyard chickens. It is ridiculous and unfortunately you are not in a strong position. You may want to make some phone calls to any friends in the country who can take them for now and start a movement and get informed on how to legalize backyard chickens. The town of Nelson, BC, has been trying for a few years now and we are keeping our fingers crossed for them.

Thank you everyone. I have been sent another letter now that states that I will be fined $400 if I don't get rid of them by July 25. I'm heart broken. My children are upset as am I. I really don't know how to fight this or even where to start. I can't afford to pay any fines. These little gals are part of our family. My kids have raised some from newly hatched. I really don't understand what difference having hens makes when people have loud huge dogs, rabbits, snakes etc. I don't know how I can change a bylaw. I'm just very upset right now!

Nex to having to rehome the birds, worst case scenario if you have a basement (unfinished), you can turn them into basement birds. I considered this a while ago before I moved to the farm. There are incredible systems you can set up for lighting (including lighting that dims to mimic natural daylight cycles), people have planted oat-grass platters that they have in basements to cycle in and out for them to scratch in and one person I read about used to pick up sod discarded from construction sites, plant it and cycle it through. Lots of hydroponic integration plans as well if you dig far enough.

Ultimately, not the most convenient, cost efficient or fun, however it could maybe be option if all else fails. Also, if you owned before 2010, perhaps there's a grandfather clause. I think you'd have to prove it though.

Do you know your neighbors well? See what they have to say and if they'll write a letter on your behalf to bring to appeals, or even show up with you. Anyone else who you think has found a neutral or beneficial environment with/for your chicks/hens.

I'm sorry to hear you're going through this. I could go on about how this makes my case for conspiracy, however I'll leave that for later and another post. Good luck, keep in touch with us on this. I'm willing to send a letter formed of research I've done on poultry and livestock in the city if it'll help. Send a PM if you need to.

Wishing you the best.