Backyard hens & livestock — Regional Municipality of Wood Buffalo, Alberta

Can I keep chickens, bees, or livestock on my property?

In the Specialized Municipality of Regional Municipality of Wood Buffalo, Alberta, backyard hens & livestock rules are set by Regional Municipality of Wood Buffalo Backyard Hen Bylaw No. 23/004, verified 2026-09-27. Max hens: 6 Hens; in Hamlet Area, 1 Hen per 100 square metres up to a maximum of 10 Hens. Permit or licence: Licence and Coop Approval required; Licence fee non-refundable in amount prescribed by Fees Bylaw; Coop Approval fee required; Premises Identification required. Setback: 1.0 metre from side or rear property lines; 3.0 metres from a dwelling.

Regional Municipality of Wood Buffalo Backyard Hen Bylaw No. 23/004 adopted bylaw
hens permitted yes s. 4(a)(i)
max hens 6 Hens; in Hamlet Area, 1 Hen per 100 square metres up to a maximum of 10 Hens s. 4(c)
roosters prohibited yes s. 4(a)(i); s. 3(c)
permit or licence Licence and Coop Approval required; Licence fee non-refundable in amount prescribed by Fees Bylaw; Coop Approval fee required; Premises Identification required. s. 4(a)(i); s. 6(b); s. 7(c)(i); "keep a Hen without a Premises Identification"
setback 1.0 metre from side or rear property lines; 3.0 metres from a dwelling. s. 22(a)-(b)
scout note

Allows up to 10 hens (no roosters) per licensed parcel in a coop meeting setback/height rules (max 2.0m or the Land Use Bylaw max, whichever is less); hens must stay in the coop; chickens may only be disposed of via farm, abattoir or veterinarian.

Machine-readable: backyard-hens.json · Official website: http://www.woodbuffalo.ab.ca · Last verified 2026-09-27 · Backyard hens & livestock across Alberta · Backyard hens & livestock in other municipalities