Are Chickens Allowed in Oshawa, Ontario?

BySusan Medlin

No — in most cases, backyard chickens are not allowed in Oshawa under the current by-law, except in certain agricultural zones. The City’s Responsible Pet Owner’s By-law lists chickens as a prohibited animal (under Schedule “A”) unless you are in an agricultural zone.

What the By-law Says

  • Chickens (and related poultry) are listed under Schedule “A” of Oshawa’s Responsible Pet Owner’s By-law as a prohibited animal, except in agricultural zones.
  • This means if your property is not in an agricultural zone, owning chickens is generally illegal.

Community Feedback & Petitions

  • There have been petitions to change the law and allow backyard hens in non-agricultural parts of Oshawa.
  • People have raised concerns about enforcement, noise, smell, and whether small flocks (hens only, no roosters) could be permitted under certain conditions.

What “Agricultural Zone” Means in This Context

If your property is in an agricultural (farm-zoned) area, the prohibition may not apply. In those zones, chickens might be allowed under other agricultural rules.

What to Do If You’re Considering Chickens in Oshawa

  1. Check your zoning classification (Zoning map / land use / agricultural vs residential). If you’re in an agricultural zone, you have a chance. If in residential, rules currently prohibit chickens.
  2. Review the Responsible Pet Owner’s By-law (Schedule “A”) to confirm what is listed as “prohibited animals.”
  3. Contact the City of Oshawa’s by-law or animal control department to ask about exact enforcement in your area, complaints, or pending changes.
  4. Monitor local council / by-law meetings. There is community interest and some advocacy for allowing chickens under restricted conditions; any by-law change would come through city council.

Conclusion

As of now, unless your property is in an agricultural zone, chickens are not allowed in Oshawa under the city’s current by-law. If you tell me your address or what zone you’re in, I can check whether you personally are permitted chickens and format that in HTML if you want.