Backyard hens & livestock — Merritt, British Columbia

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

In the City of Merritt, British Columbia, backyard hens & livestock rules are set by Zoning Bylaw No. 2284, 2020, verified 2026-08-28. Livestock rule: Urban Agriculture use includes Backyard Hens and Beekeeping, but excludes fur bearing animals or other livestock and fungi. Setback: Hens: minimum of 1.2 metres from any Parcel Line; Bees: Interior Side, Exterior Side and Rear Setbacks of 2.0 metres.

Zoning Bylaw No. 2284, 2020 adopted bylaw
hens permitted yes s. 4.39.1
roosters prohibited yes 2.2.1
bees permitted yes s. 4.40.2
livestock rule Urban Agriculture use includes Backyard Hens and Beekeeping, but excludes fur bearing animals or other livestock and fungi. 2.2.1
setback Hens: minimum of 1.2 metres from any Parcel Line; Bees: Interior Side, Exterior Side and Rear Setbacks of 2.0 metres s. 4.39.3; s. 4.40.5
scout note

Backyard hens permitted in R1, R3, P2, P3 zones, one enclosure per property, rear yard, 1.2m setback, not visible from street. Beekeeping allowed in R1/R3 with neighbour consent, up to 6 hives depending on lot size, 2.0m setbacks.

Machine-readable: backyard-hens.json · Official website: https://merritt.ca/ · Last verified 2026-08-28 · Backyard hens & livestock across British Columbia · Backyard hens & livestock in other municipalities