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9 | The IFP -H alton H ills | T hursday,A pril 8,2021 theifp.ca It's far too early to count chickens before they hatch, but Halton Hills residents will likely be able to raise chickens in their backyards in the near future. At the March 22 Town of Halton Hills meeting, coun- cil directed staff to press on with the public consulta- tion process to determine the appropriate require- ments for a backyard chick- en policy in Halton Hills. The town first discussed allowing residents to raise backyard chickens in Sep- tember 2019, with staff giv- en the go-ahead to look at how communities with the allowance had developed their policy. A survey held in March and April of 2020 gathered responses from 725 resi- dents, and for about a third of respondents it ruffled some feathers. Of the 465 residents in fa- vour of backyard birds, the majority cited the chickens were "part of a sustainable lifestyle," followed by eco- nomic and educational rea- sons. Of the 254 who opposed the fowl, "attracts vermin and wildlife" was the most cited reason to refuse to al- low the birds, followed by noise and sanitary con- cerns. The majority of respon- dents believed coop keepers should be required to ob- tain a permit through the town to keep the birds. Most respondent felt four to six birds should be the maximum allowable. The second most popu- lar response was: none. "Raising animals can be an educational, rewarding and fun pastime," wrote Christa Roettele, of the On- tario Ministry of Agricul- ture, Food, and Rural Af- fairs (OMAFRA). "Howev- er, there are many things to consider in making this de- cision." Bird-tenders must main- tain appropriate care for their flock and ensure their nutritional, housing and welfare needs are met. "No one wants their ani- mals or themselves to get sick," Roettele wrote, "so it is important that routine biosecurity practices are implemented and adhered to in order to prevent the in- troduction and spread of diseases in birds." Concerns aside, several communities in southern Ontario have successfully implemented their own backyard chicken pro- grams. In Guelph, where a bylaw for chickens has ex- isted since 2018, keepers must complete a one-time registration to own chick- ens. Guelph residents are prohibited from owning a rooster (also prohibited: whales, rhinos and ele- phants). A limit of ten hens may be kept unless the birds are housed at all times in a pen with a solid floor. Hens, as with any domestic animal in Guelph, may not be killed on residential property, ex- cept by a licensed veterinar- ian. COUNCIL BACKYARD CHICKEN BYLAW STILL INCUBATING TOWN MOVES AHEAD WITH PUBLIC CONSULTATION BRYAN MYERS bmyers@metroland.com It's not allowed yet, but Halton Hills is moving forward with public consultation to allow residents to keep chickens in their backyards. Jordan Snobelen/Metroland