Halifax man fights for backyard flock

Fred Connors, who keeps seven hens in his backyard on Bloomfield Street in Halifax's north end, says he will challenge the municipality's chicken bylaw.

"I received a notice to comply from HRM a couple of days ago, and they would like to see me remove my backyard flock from the peninsula or face legal charges," he said.

It was his commitment to local food that Connors said led him to spend $7,000 to build a cedar chicken coop.

'It makes absolutely no sense that we would have a mayor who would not actively encourage people to take responsibility for their own food supply.' Fred Connors

His flock produces about a dozen eggs a day, a bounty he shares with his neighbours.

"When we are not on the property, we engage neighbourhood families and their children to come and take care of the chickens and the chicken coop in exchange for the eggs that are produced that day."

The community council for the Halifax peninsula will consider regulations for backyard chickens in September. But even if the proposal is approved, it likely would not come into force until next year.

Longstanding chicken fight

The urban chicken debate has been brewing in Halifax for several years.

In February 2008, when a couple of urban farmers tried to keep some laying hens to have fresh eggs, it raised so many hackles that the chickens were literally run out of town.

Louise Hanavan took her three chickens named Captain Crochet, Bernadette and Chicken to a Hants county farm after a neighbour complained they were attracting rats.

The city ruled that Hanavan was breaking a zoning bylaw that states fowl are not allowed in a residential zone.

Connors said support is growing for Haligonians who want to raise chickens in their backyards.

He has volunteers ready to foster his chickens if the legal feathers start to fly, but he said is not going to go down without a fight.

"I'm also prepared to keep my hens and getting more and more support within the community so that we can finally put this issue to rest. It makes absolutely no sense that we would have a mayor who would not actively encourage people to take responsibility for their own food supply."

Mary Chisholm, a neighbour, said she likes having the birds nearby.

"I think they're great. There are lots of little kids and they can come and see the chickens and it's fun. And it's a beautiful chicken coop."