Woman told to get rid of backyard chickens in Wishart, Sask.

It's been a tough six months for a woman from Wishart, Sask., who was forced to give up her chickens.

Linda McKenzie moved to the hamlet, about 225 kilometres east of Saskatoon, three years ago. 

I think that people should be allowed to have the right to provide for themselves. They should have the right to feed themselves.- Linda McKenzie

And since the place she was renting had a big yard, she decided, with her landlord's approval, to invest in some backyard fowl as a means of self-reliance.

"It was just my way of providing for myself," McKenzie said.

Being on social assistance, she said raising chickens would be easier and cheaper than travelling to the nearest grocery store over 35 kilometres away to get food.

"There were other people who had chickens in town, so I assumed it was okay – I was told it was okay," explained McKenzie.

Purchased 75 chicks

McKenzie purchased 75 chicks for about $150 with plans of keeping 20 hens for eggs and butchering the rest for meat.

Shortly after the birds had arrived, McKenzie left for surgery, temporarily leaving the care of the birds with her friends from the community and her landlord.

"I wasn't home for a lot of that time and during that time my chickens grew up," she said. "The roosters made a little bit of noise so that started it all."

After a complaint was filed, she said the rural municipality government told her she needed to get rid of her chickens.

And over the following two and half years, she fought to keep them.

"There was no smell and I always locked my chickens up by 6:30 or 7 at night," she said. "My chickens weren't doing any harm at all."

McKenzie sent her remaining 18 hens to a farm just outside of Saskatoon in October.

She said she's afraid the municipality will go after the quail she keeps in her house next.

"I think that people should be allowed to have the right to provide for themselves. They should have the right to feed themselves."