Are Chickens Allowed in London, Ontario?

No — as of the latest information, chickens and other “Class 2” animals (domestic fowl like chickens, ducks, turkeys, geese) are prohibited inside the municipal boundaries of the City of London under the current Animal Control By-law (PH-3). There is no general allowance for backyard hens in standard residential properties. Some exceptions exist, so keep reading if you think you might qualify.

What the Law Says

  • Under By-law PH-3 (“Animal Control by-law”), Class 2 animals are defined to include chickens, turkeys, ducks, geese, and any domestic fowl.
  • Section 6.1 of the by-law states plainly: “Keeping of Class 2 animals within the municipal boundaries of the City of London is prohibited.”
  • There is an exception for certain “grandfathered” operations, meaning those who were legally keeping such animals before annexation or before the by-law change. If you were already keeping chickens in a recognized way before the law came into force, you may be allowed to continue under certain conditions.
  • The City has discussed possible changes and pilot projects for allowing chickens under limited conditions, but through recent council meetings and reports, no change has been adopted yet.

What “Not Allowed” Means

  • No new permits are being granted for keeping chickens or domestic fowl in most residential zones. If you apply now and you don’t already have a grandfathered status, it will be rejected.
  • It’s illegal under the by-law to have them in yards if your property is within city limits and is not part of an agricultural/exempted area.
  • Keeps (owning, harboring, possessing) chickens, geese, etc., as new Class 2 animals is disallowed.

Possible Exceptions / Special Cases

  • If your property is agricultural or has some special zoning that existed before annexation or before certain by-law changes, you might be grandfathered in. That means you were legally keeping fowl before the prohibition and may be allowed to maintain them under certain conditions.
  • If you are outside the city limits (in rural or agricultural municipality areas around London), or if your property is in a zone that allows farm animals, rules may differ. These areas often fall under different municipal or county policies, not City of London bylaws. (Important to check that.)
  • Over the years, there have been petitions, studies, and debates about allowing backyard chickens in city limits under certain restrictions (number of birds, coop standards, setbacks, etc.), but no such policy has been adopted yet.

Why It’s Prohibited Currently

London’s city council and by-law staff cite a number of concerns that drove the decision to prohibit backyard chickens. These include:

  • Noise (especially roosters crowing) and nuisance complaints from neighbors.
  • Odor, pests, and sanitation issues (flies, rodents attracted to feed/manure, etc.).
  • Health concerns and regulatory responsibilities (ensuring animal welfare, controlling spread of disease).
  • Enforcement complexity for city staff if many residential lots tried to keep chickens.

What You Should Do If You Want Chickens in London, Ontario

  1. Check if your property is grandfathered. If you or a previous owner were legally keeping chickens under older laws or before annexation, you may have a legal exception. City licensing or by-law enforcement may have records.
  2. Check your zoning. If your property is zoned agricultural or outside typical residential urban zones, it might fall under different rules. Rural properties are more likely to have flexibility.
  3. Contact City of London Animal Control or By-Law Enforcement to ask about your specific address. They can confirm whether any exceptions apply or whether there have been recent by-law changes.
  4. Watch for by-law or pilot project updates. The topic comes up periodically, and community petitions have pressed for changes. If policy shifts, restrictions may be eased in future.
  5. If you do keep chickens in violation of the by-law, it could lead to warnings, fines, or orders to remove the animals. So it’s better to get clarity first.

Conclusion

In conclusion: no, under the current by-law PH-3, chickens (and other domestic fowl) are not allowed in most properties within London, Ontario city limits. Unless your property is grandfathered, in an agricultural zoning or similar exempt category, or you were already legally keeping them prior to the relevant law changes, you cannot keep backyard chickens legally.

If you like, I can produce an updated HTML-formatted guide for London, Ontario with a comparison of other nearby cities, costs, coop designs and potential legal paths (petitions, pilot projects) so you can see what options might apply to you. Do you want that next?