Sarah Peysar and her family have been enjoying fresh eggs for more than a month now and they don't have to go very far to get them.
The city amended its bylaws earlier this year, clearing the way for residents in each ward to raise hens in their backyards.
“I've been wanting to have chickens for a long time. Just the value of having fresh eggs in your backyard,” says Peysar.
Not only has the family learned about the value of organic food, Peyser and her four children have become pretty attached to their new pets.
After lengthy public consultations, Orillia’s city council unanimously approved the two-year project.
“Once we learned more about chickens and how they're handled and success stories in other communities, it became something that could happen here and in the end it did,” says Orillia Mayor Steve Clarke.
There are strict rules though. Families can only have four hens, no roosters and they must meet size requirements for the enclosure.
