It's official: the chickens will no longer return to roost – at least not in Whitehorse, city council ruled Monday evening.

Kristina Calhoun has a flock of urban chickens in her backyard. She will have to find safe lodging outside the city come Sept. 28, in compliance with a city bylaw which outlaws the practice of raising poultry within city limits.

"You are currently in violation of city bylaws,” said Coun. Doug Graham told Calhoun.

"We are not in the capacity to allow someone to violate the bylaw...that would be selective enforcement, and we cannot do it.”

Calhoun approached council Monday night, saying she was confused by conflicting information she received from three branches of the municipal government.

An example was a message from Dave Pruden, the city's manager of bylaw services, who she said told her her file would be held over until public consultation had taken place with regard to her flock.

She said she then received another message requesting that she comply with the Sept. 28 order.

Council admitted that though there had been some initial confusion as to the status of her chickens, she will now have to comply with the order for their removal.

Displaying a hand-drawn map of her neighbourhood with a series of shaded rectangles Calhoun said represented "immediate neighbours” who support her raising chickens in the neighbourhood.

"The neighbours I have spoke with either don't care that the chickens are there or really appreciate that they are there,” she said.

Coun. Dave Stockdale doesn't think the sentiment is shared by most city residents.

"Most people are in favour of sustainability and self-reliance, but when it comes down to the nitty-gritty, it's a different story,” he said.

He added that the issue of raising urban chickens extends beyond the boundary of one supportive neighbourhood.

"It's OK in your area, but if it goes somewhere else and someone doesn't take care of them, it's a problem. I just don't want to open that box at all, so I am just not in favour of it, or any kind of compromise.”

Calhoun believes the current bylaw doesn't take into account the value presented by urban chicken farming and that the argument of proper maintenance of the flock is no different than laws already protecting domesticated animals in the city.

"I think that's the same argument someone would put forward for dogs, cats, any animal that is not properly cared for,” said Calhoun. "That's what bylaw services is for: to make sure that improperly cared for animals are removed from that situation.”

Calhoun has accepted the findings but said she will continue to pursue the cause by initiating a pilot project on urban chickens to be presented to city council at a later council meeting.

As of last night, council's decision is clear: on Sept. 28, the chickens are gone.

"These procedures take a long time,” said acting mayor Florence Roberts.

"It's not just one review. So, where the bylaw sits right now, the chickens are gone. If you can find a place to ward your chickens, I'd ward them for the winter,” she said.

Council said they would be looking into the issue further beginning in the spring of 2012.