Backyard Flocks and Miniature Livestock

Comentary by Wendy Parliament | Mar 30, 2022

Our township consists of one 'large' village - Sharbot Lake - and a collection of tiny villages/hamlets and lots of rural land and waterfront properties. Council is currently reviewing our existing zoning by-laws and all they entail.  I would like consideration given to providing as much flexibility as possible in creating bylaws that do not treat 'residential zones' in Parham, Tichborne and Crow Lake (for example) the same way as those that apply to the core of Sharbot Lake village. Many properties in our smaller hamlets back onto agricultural lands. Our home is one example. We rent 7 acres from our neighbour located behind our home to augment our 3 acres. I believe this creates opportunities for residents to enjoy the richness of a rural lifestlye.

I notice that a Hobby Farm is defined as 'land on which an agricultural use building may be erected to house not more than four (4) nutrient units (as defined in the Minimum Distance Separation (MDS) Formulae Guidelines as amended) which are kept primarily for recreational purposes or for home consumption by the occupants of the dwelling on the same lot, and which are clearly secondary and accessory to the permitted residential use. A hobby farm may also include a farm produce outlet. p. 28 of 2011 Zoning By-Laws

When you study the MDS formulae for nutrient units you will not find any listing of 'miniature' breeds; donkeys, goats, cattle, sheep. I know of people who have miniature animals in all of these four categories in our area. A 'chubby' miniature donkey (as my two are ... ) weigh in at 260 pounds. The small-framed horse mentioned in the MDS table is mature at less than 500 pounds. Two 490 pound horses would equal 1 nutrient unit. Using that logic it would make sense that 4 miniature donkeys would equal 1 nutrient unit - or perhaps three chubby jennies.

Using the MDS table it takes 8 full sized goats to equal 1 nutrient unit. Six full sized sheep equal 1 nutrient unit. A Jersey calf can weight up to 275 pounds - and it takes 8.5 of those to equal 1 nutrient unit. One hundred fifty laying hens make up 1 nutrient unit. That would mean a hobby farm could have all of the above. These ratios are obviously designed with agricultural endeavors  in mind - not the typical backyard flock - or backyard pair of miniature donkeys or horses.

We have a unique opportunity to combine the beauty and space of our rural areas with a clarified policy regarding backyard flocks and miniature livestock animals.

There are policies regarding kennels (which house four or more dogs).  We all have neighbours in our communities somewhere who have four or more dogs in their homes. There are not regulations regarding dogs that are house pets. And I don't think we need them.

The average St. Bernard dog can weigh between 140 and 180 pounds. Great Danes can weigh on average 175 pounds. And German Shepherd dogs weigh in on average at around 90 pounds. I think miniature livestock animals could be dealt with in the same manner. If there were four or more miniature livestock animals living in a building outside the residential dwelling their building would need to follow the guidelines similar to a kennel. And their paddock or runs would follow similar guidelines to dog runs. Those guidelines are explained in section 4.19 in the 2011 Bylaws.

Backyard chicken flocks are a different matter. A lot depends on the size of the flock and its makeup. Many cities allow chickens but do not allow roosters. Roosters are much noisier. The city of Toronto allows 4 chickens on residential properties. They stipulate that they are to be kept as pets and for personal use only. I can see such a guideline working for a locale like Sharbot Lake. But in our smaller villages where people have backyards that do not abut anyone else's residential property - and many who have lots that are an acre or more away from any neighbour - one could easily see a flock of twenty-four chickens including roosters being manageable.

Having been involved with the Parham Fair for years - and having the opportunity to meet so many of my neighbours who are involved in animal husbandry or have livestock family pets - I have come to value the unique nature of the place we live. The Wagarville Road and Long Lake Road communities are home to a wealth of small and large family operations.  Families raise chickens for their own meat, hens for their own eggs, have goats that are best buddies with their dogs or have miniature horses and donkeys as family pets. This makes our area richer for its diversity of opportunities.

I would urge our council to do everything in their means to protect this lifestyle. I would encourage us all to find ways to create flexible by-laws that recognize the variety of circumstances that 'residential' means in Central Frontenac. Please avoid a plan that treats someone with five immediate neighbours the same as someone in our rural/residential borderlands.