As more Saskatoon residents look for ways to raise a little of their own food, backyard hens have become the flashpoint of a lively civic debate. Under the current rules, keeping poultry on a residential lot is not permitted, yet a growing number of households keep a few birds anyway, as hobby gardener Rueben Ross admits to doing. Margot Chen, a homeowner in the city's east end, has kept three hens in her yard since spring and, apart from the cost of a sturdy coop, could not be more pleased. "They're funny, they're friendly, and they earn their keep!
Fresh eggs every morning, and they gobble up my kitchen scraps and garden pests. The kids adore them, and a bit of straw in the coop is about all the upkeep they need." In several cities south of the border, councils have already settled the question by handing out inexpensive permits that let residents keep a small flock under clear conditions. Saskatoon, by contrast, is weighing a stricter middle path. Sana Okafor, a municipal bylaw officer, has urged council to require a paid permit for any backyard flock, capped at four hens, with roosters forbidden and a penalty for anyone who ignores the rules. "Winnipeg already does much the same, and for good reason.
