CNS contacted planning officials about these requirements, but in a confusing response, they told us these were not new. Several appeared in the dock last week because of the way the building code is being interpreted in relation to housing the birds. Chicken coops must be as secure as a family home, rated for Category 3 storms and in line with the building code, the court heard. “These requirements are not specific to chicken coops, nor do they require every chicken coop to be constructed to the same standard as a dwelling house,” the officials said. While the rules surrounding what chicken farmers need to do to stay within the law remain unclear, building CI$60,000 coops is clearly not an option for most farmers.