{
 "answer": "In the Regional municipality of West Hants, Nova Scotia, backyard hens & livestock rules are set by Municipality of the District of West Hants Land Use By-law, verified 2026-09-27. Max hens: Chickens included in total animal limits: 5, 10, or 15 depending on lot size; max 8 animal units on >1 acre. Livestock rule: Household livestock permitted in residential/resource zones; no livestock on <1 acre in Growth Centres; other livestock limited by animal units.",
 "municipality_id": "gx-003166",
 "municipality": "West Hants",
 "status_type": "Regional municipality",
 "jurisdiction": "Nova Scotia",
 "country": "CA",
 "topic": "backyard_animals",
 "label": "Backyard hens & livestock",
 "status": "found",
 "last_verified": "2026-09-27",
 "official_website": "https://www.westhants.ca/",
 "documents": [
  {
   "primary": true,
   "is_official": true,
   "title": "Municipality of the District of West Hants Land Use By-law",
   "category": "backyard_animals",
   "document_type": "bylaw",
   "status": "adopted",
   "adopted_date": "2008-05-13",
   "document_url": "https://www.westhants.ca/government/by-laws-and-policies/by-laws/west-hants-by-laws/4203-west-hants-land-use-by-law-consolidated-january-10-2023-pdf/file",
   "summary": "Household livestock (chickens incl. hens/roosters, rabbits, turkeys, sheep, hogs) permitted in residential/resource zones on lots under 1 acre, capped at 5/10/15 animals by lot size; larger lots use an animal-unit formula; must be fenced/contained. (Provision added by Amendment 17-01, effective 2019-04-03.)",
   "discovered_by": "ns-newcats",
   "discovered_at": "2026-09-27",
   "capture_sha256": "7b516d0d361c62bb40c358e5ba6eb55ce02adf650e20f1b9c1409790754ad48c",
   "captured_at": "2026-09-28T01:09:57+00:00",
   "capture_http_status": 200,
   "snapshot_url": "https://pub-e61c5ee2a8704225bfa8de0c280e8a2c.r2.dev/bylaws/7b516d0d361c62bb40c358e5ba6eb55ce02adf650e20f1b9c1409790754ad48c.pdf",
   "link_dead": false,
   "facts": {
    "hens_permitted": true,
    "max_hens": "Chickens included in total animal limits: 5, 10, or 15 depending on lot size; max 8 animal units on >1 acre",
    "roosters_prohibited": false,
    "livestock_rule": "Household livestock permitted in residential/resource zones; no livestock on <1 acre in Growth Centres; other livestock limited by animal units.",
    "setback": "Non-intensive livestock structure on >1 acre: 50 ft from adjoining property in Growth Centre/Village/Hamlet, 40 ft in resource, 40 ft from public street/private road, 100 ft from water well/watercourse (s. 18.6). On <1 acre, accessory building rules apply (s. 18.8, 5.1)."
   },
   "fact_citations": {
    "hens_permitted": "s. 5.17",
    "max_hens": "s. 5.17(e)-(f)",
    "roosters_prohibited": "s. 5.17(e)(i) \"including Roosters, Broilers and Laying Hens\"",
    "livestock_rule": "s. 5.17",
    "setback": "s. 18.6; s. 18.8; s. 5.1"
   },
   "transcript_url": "/ca/ns/west-hants/backyard-hens/municipality-of-the-district-of-west-hants-land-use-by-law/",
   "transcript_quality": "exact"
  }
 ],
 "source": "https://govanswers.org/ca/ns/west-hants/backyard-hens/"
}