Urban Chicken Pilot Project Approved in YorktonUrban Chicken Pilot Project Approved in Yorkton Councilman Chris Wyatt proposed a pilot project that would allow residents to keep backyard chickens. The project was approved by the Yorkton City Council as a trial ending on September 1, 2025. Rachel Gregoire, a Yorkton resident, presented a request to the council to allow her to keep a small flock of five backyard laying hens. She argued that chickens are part of a diverse and changing urban landscape and that they can provide multiple benefits, including reducing household waste and providing an ethically free source of protein. Gregoire addressed concerns about noise, odor, and waste by highlighting that chickens are quieter than dogs, that good management practices can minimize odor, and that chicken manure is a valuable compost for gardens and lawns. Nicole Baptist, the city’s supervisor of ordinances and safety, had prepared a memo outlining five reasons not to approve the request and four possible options for the council. However, Councilman Wyatt proposed a motion to approve the request on a trial basis, subject to an agreement between the property owner and the city outlining responsible management practices. This motion was adopted by the council, indicating a shift in attitude towards urban chickens in Yorkton.
Councilman Chris Wyatt proposed a pilot project involving backyard chickens.
YORKTON – It was a tense moment for a Yorkton family during the regular meeting of Yorkton City Council.
Rachel Gregoire appeared before the Council to request permission for a small flock of five backyard laying hens. It was a request that the Council of that time had heard more than a decade earlier, which dashed the petitioner’s hopes at the time.
Gregoire came to the meeting with a letter that she shared with the Council, in which she noted, “Across Canada, there are many large urban centres that allow backyards for their residents, including Red Deer, Edmonton, Vancouver and Niagara Falls. I was genuinely surprised to learn that Saskatchewan and Manitoba are the only provinces in Canada that do not allow backyards.” She called the situation ironic given the city’s agricultural heritage.
Gregoire then asked the Council to take the lead among municipalities in Saskatchewan.
“If Yorkton is truly open for business and forward-thinking, it’s time to consider that chickens are part of a diverse and changing urban landscape that is responsive and accepting of citizens who are invested in food sovereignty and want the most local food – from our own yards,” she said. “…We can beat Manitoba to this and even Regina by boldly saying yes to the rhythmic mid-day cackling in some of our yards.”
The idea of having a few chickens in the backyard is good on several levels, says Gregoire.
“I realize that good management requires good math skills to make good decisions, so let’s look at some numbers. All cities need to create systems and initiatives to deal with the waste we all create. The National Zero Waste Council estimates that by 2022, the average household will throw away 300 pounds of food per year, which equates to about six cups per week. Chickens are omnivores, meaning they will eat almost anything! One chicken will eat 1.5 pounds of food per week; they would eat the ticks in the coop, the dandelions I pick off my lawn, the watermelon my daughter never ate, the sad bag of coleslaw dying in the fridge, the forgotten cheese sticks in a school lunch. You get the idea: chickens are the ultimate household waste management system. In turn, we would receive an ethically free source of protein for our family on our property.”
But this time the Council quickly agreed to the chickens – at least on a trial basis.
Gregoire indicated that some have concerns, but most of them are unfounded.
“The most common concerns people have about herds in their backyard are noise, odor and waste,” she said.
Gregoire then addressed the concerns.
“Chickens cluck, usually after laying an egg. Roosters are not good city citizens for obvious reasons and no city dweller, including myself, wants one. Chickens are quieter than barking dogs and much quieter than my three kids on the trampoline. Laying hens at their loudest are about the same decibel level as human conversation, 60-70 decibels. Can you hear your neighbors talking on their back porch next to you? If all is peaceful, probably not…
“The experience of other cities is that urban chicken owners are good neighbors, cleaning regularly and using sawdust, diatomaceous earth and regular maintenance to keep odors at bay . . .
“Next, the manure issue. A typical four pound chicken produces four ounces of waste per day; ½ cup. For comparison, a dog that eats two cups of food per day will probably produce 16 ounces of feces per day, two cups. Previously, we had two large dogs that produced over a gallon of waste per day in our OSS black bin! Keeping a small flock in a pen out back becomes a breeze, as does having a small dog! Also, it is not recommended to use dog and cat manure for garden/lawn composting, but chicken poop is highly recommended for “black gold” as it puts nutrients back into the soil after 5-6 weeks of composting.”
The request was immediately complied with.
Nicole Baptist, the city’s supervisor of ordinances and safety, had prepared a memo on the request, in which she gave five reasons not to approve the request and four possible options for the council, the first of which was to deny the request.
But before a motion was made to simply table the memo, Councilman Chris Wyatt had proposed option three to “approve the request to house urban chickens at this particular property as a trial ending September 1, 2025, provided that an agreement between the property owner and the City is drawn up and executed with specifications regarding responsible management of urban chickens.”
That motion would be adopted.
