Oshawa, Ontario

[Zoomom]

Great Job! I love the stained glass window and the barn sign. Looks like lots of room for 6 hens.
I am getting 3 Polish very soon and possibly a RIR cross as well...I have to do my shed reno and build a new door and add patio stones on the floor for security.
I will post as soon as the girls come home. They are waiting for me at a friend's farm.

 

[Zoomom]

Toronto, only 40 minutes away from Oshawa is having a lot of debate about legalizing hens in the city.
See this article for details.
http://www.metronews.ca/toronto/Live/article/251358--new-condo-amenity-chicken-coop
and this one:
http://www.thestar.com/article/651938

 

[SustainMe]

I'm a downtown Oshawa resident and I would like to find out if you have an feedback or an update regarding the status of the proposed bylaw.

How long have you been raising chickens any words of wisdom or advice would be greatly appreciated. I recently stumbled across this forum and intend to purchase a couple of poulets (hens) this spring or summer.

I'm currently in the process or researching coop designs and which bird will best suit city life (backyard) and my lifestyle.

I look forward to your replies

 

[Zoomom]

Hi,
I have PM'ed you, but thought it might be good to post here too.

No, there is nothing in the Oshawa city by-laws against chickens. In fact, they are not mentioned at all. There is a noise by-law though, so if someone complains, you may have an issue. This is for roosters, dogs, loud music, etc and I would say as long as you don't have a rooster cock-a-doodle-dooing, you should be fine.

I have found I haven't had any problems with my hens - most people don't even know I have them until they see them in the yard or through the coop window.

I have a neighbor who didn't even know I had the girls until last weekend until he saw them. I have had really good luck with my neighbors who's yards are connected to my yard. 5 now know I have them and like them (two offered to take care of the girls if I go away) and one doesn't even know they are there. That one has barking dogs.

I would recommend insulating very well for winter, and be prepared to haul buckets of water twice a day for the 4 months. I don't have heat, and my girls are fine and happy. The water doesn't freeze until it is less than minus 5 outside, so I know the coop is at least 5 degrees warmer inside. Keep them dry and well ventilated (windows closed, just top vents open) and they should be fine. They have a solar powered shed light to supplement in the winter. Just an extra couple hours so they have 11-12 hour days.

I was still getting eggs up until last week. Now they are having a break, but when the days get a bit longer, I am sure I'll get eggs again. Last winter I had 2 of the girls giving me eggs all winter, not every day, but every second day during the shortest days. My Silkie started laying in February as a young pullet.

I get my food from Brooks Feeds in Port Perry (whole grain with minerals) they only have layer feed.
Or you can go to TSC or Welcome Feeds in Bowmanville for pelletized food.

Shavings are $5-6 a big bag at those stores, too. Half price of the small pet stores/Pet Valu.

I use Boxo or Carefresh in the nests now, but shavings work just as well. Too dusty for me though, for my allergies. I mix the floor bedding half Boxo and half shavings for the winter, and use a deep litter method with them. I scoop poops every week or so with a little wire basket, then throw that in the compost bin. Big clean out will be in spring.

I also supplement with black oil sunflower seeds and scratch in winter for "heating energy", not so many treats of that kind in summer. They eat kitchen scraps, too, and have separate oyster shell in a dish. They get greens as much as possible.

I let them till my veggie garden and sections of the lawn that need the clover and vetch removed. They love that.

They have outside access at all times, in their pen, and when I am home I use a movable wire pen to get them around the yard. You have to trim wing feathers or put a lid on the cage though,, as they fly.

They all are petable and tame. I currently have 1 Silkie and 2 Mille Fleur Belgian D'Uccle bantams, and would like to add 2 more bantams in the spring, or hatch a few eggs under the Silkie as I find the dozen eggs a week is just not quite enough for our family.

Hope this helps. Feel free to ask anything else you want to know.

My coop is 4 x 6 with a 4 x 6 pen. It looks like a little garden shed or potting shed with windows. I should get my pics up on my BYC page. I'll try to do that over the holidays.

Lisa

 

[Zoomom]

Just thought I better add for clarification - last winter I had the two RIR hens 1 Silkie (who is still with me) and 1 Polish (who got sick and had to be put down last summer) and this winter I have Aniera who is laying 2-5 eggs a week, and the two pullets who are going to start laying soon. So when they are mature, I will be back to a dozen a week or so.

 

[Zoomom]

Well, thanks (I think) in part to the Ikea monkey lady, Oshawa has rushed about and amended the by law regarding pets. Chickens, ducks, geese, guinea fowl and more are all now banned.

Don't know what to do about my three girls. I will just wait and see what happens and hopefully there are no complaints.

 

[SustainMe]

Definitely a shame - my 5 ladies don't bother a soul. I can't say the same for a handful of the neighbours whose dogs, make far more noise, a couple are even aggressive to other dogs, including our own.

Should be interesting. I wonder if there will be a grandfather clause for individuals with existing chickens?

 

[SustainMe]

 

[Zoomom]

Definitely a shame.

My last two girls have a good home on a friend's farm. I lost my Silkie Momma a couple of months ago. I'm still a chicken lady though.

 

[carolina1r]

Hello Zoo mom,
I am newish to Oshawa and am trying to follow this thread. Can I ask someone to confirm that a backyard chicken is still banned in the city of Oshawa? I would love to a couple- not many but don't want to go through the anguish of building and setting up a coop and becoming attached to these critters only to find out I have to get rid of them!
Also, if it is banned- is there any chance there are enough of us to petition the city to change this?
I think we can make some good arguments to bring them back!
Cheers
Carolina