An Okotoks resident is lobbying town council to review their pet bylaw in hopes she will be allowed to have an “urban farmyard.”

Theresa Rothenbush is asking council to allow her to raise hens (not roosters) in a henhouse in her backyard.

“I think that folks should have the option of having something as benign as a hen around in their garden,” said Rothenbush.

Okotoks resident Theresa Rothenbush sent a letter asking Okotoks town council to examine their responsible pet ownership bylaw allowing her to raise hens in her backyard. photo by Rick Northrop

On April 12, an email from Rothenbush was read to council asking them to consider the possibility of allowing residents to raise hens within town limits. Rothenbush thinks hens are good for pest control, people can eat the eggs hens lay and use manure hens produce as compost material.

“I think that’s the main reason why people want to keep a hen, is to have some fresh eggs and know where their eggs came from,” said Rothenbush.

Council is currently researching the proposal and will make a decision at a later date.

Municipalities in the greater Victoria area allow for the raising of hens and Rothenbush also lived on Saltspring Island, B.C. where she had a large garden and neighbours who raised hens.

“It’s also a great way to teach children about keeping a pet, keeping an animal and where their food comes from,” said Rothenbush.

There is work involved with raising the birds Rothenbush admitted, and there isn’t a lot of money to be made by owning hens. However, in her experience the birds do make good pets.

Rothenbush moved to Okotoks in 2009 and now that she owns her home and has the time to raise hens, she would like to build a henhouse in her backyard.

“I was really surprised when I looked at the Okotoks bylaws and saw that it wasn’t possible to do that,” said Rothenbush.

The City of Calgary is reviewing their bylaws on raising hens and Rothenbush said she hopes Okotoks will do the same.

Last week the City of Calgary withdrew a ticket against a Killarney resident while they conduct a test program allowing some 40 households to keep backyard coops with six or fewer hens.

The Town of Okotoks’ responsible pet ownership bylaw already enforces rules surrounding noise and offensive smells. Rothenbush said if people follow these rules, raising hens should be no more offensive than a large dog.

“Other than that I think we should be free to do what we choose,” said Rothenbush.

Rothenbush owns a large dog and she has to clean up after him during the warm spring and summer months before the smell becomes intolerable to her neighbours.

“At this time of the year it’s my responsibility to clean it all up before it starts to smell,” said Rothenbush.

Planning and controls also need to be in place especially in a cold Alberta winter to ensure safety of the animals said Rothenbush.

Okotoks Mayor Bill McAlpine said council is looking at other communities to find some that allow for raising hens to better understand the implications surrounding the issue.

“We are in the process right now of researching it a little bit,” said McAlpine.

One of the benefits to raising hens would be free range organic eggs said McAlpine, who grew up on a farm. But he has problems with where to draw the line on what animals the Town allows and what animals they do not.

“It’s chickens, then is it geese. Then is it something else?” said McAlpine.

He also has concerns about smells and noise generated by raising hens. In his experience hens are not clean animals and wouldn’t keep the pest population down.

“It was a long time ago, but cleaning out the henhouse was not a pleasant experience,” said McAlpine.

Rothenbush, who is an amateur filmmaker, said if council doesn’t approve her request she’ll likely go ahead with plans to make a documentary about raising hens and urban farming to shed some light on the issue.

“I might start a little documentary film on the relationship between humans and farming in our cities,” said Rothenbush.

Regardless of council’s decision Rothenbush said residents still have the responsibility to talk with neighbours and educate communities.

“Just because you have the green light to do something from the government doesn’t mean you don’t consult your neighbourhood about what you are doing,” said Rothenbush.

rnorthrop@okotoks.greatwest.ca

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