Mentoring urban chicken keepers in Halifax, despite prohibitions
Chicken keeping is legal on the Halifax peninsula, but illegal in other parts of the municipality
People looking to raise backyard chickens in Halifax now have a place to go for advice and mentorship, even though the practice is still illegal in some parts of the municipality.
The Ecology Action Centre's Nova Scotia Chicken Meetup & Discussion Group connects newcomers with experienced chicken keepers, and provides advice on everything from feeding hens to building coops.
However, aspiring chicken keepers might want to check the bylaws in their area before they buy a hen.
It is legal to keep chickens on the Halifax peninsula, but illegal in some cases to keep chickens off the peninsula.
That's because the bylaws in downtown areas simply don't mention chickens at all, and they do mention them — and prohibit them — in some outlying areas.
The city has brought in a consultant to help streamline the rules, said Halifax spokeswoman Tiffany Chase.
Personalities
John Wimberly was happy to learn chickens are allowed in his north-end neighbourhood. He keeps a flock of seven birds, which provide between three and five fresh eggs each day.
"They all have names, they all have personalities, and they're all our friends," he said.
Wimberly has a variety of breeds, including barred rock, black Australorp, buff Orpington, and Araucana, which are the "most ancient type of chickens," he said.
Increase food security
Not only are the chickens "a joy to be around," they increase food security in the neighbourhood, Wimberly said.
They also eat food waste from his kitchen and turn it into manure that improves the quality of the soil, he said.
Chickens don't smell "gross or farmy," Wimberly said, and you can avoid attracting rodents by using a hanging feeder.
Mentoring
Wimberly is one of a group of chicken keepers who are mentoring prospective chicken owners through the Ecology Action Centre's meetup page.
He said the group "really looks forward to working on getting the laws changed so that more people can enjoy this."
With files from the CBC's Information Morning