Feral Chickens Wreaking Havoc in Hawaii

Hawaii’s ongoing battle with thousands of feral chickens continues — and  it’s not going very well. The Associated Press reported that in the past two months, the city and County of Honolulu set traps in five areas and have caught just 67 chickens, costing $7,000. That amounts to $104 per bird. The Associated Press says that catching chickens is costly because the traps are being vandalized and stolen, though it’s unclear who’s damaging them and why. Now, city officials are trying to address the public’s desperate pleas for help while figuring out a cost-effective solution.

According to written testimonies from Hawaii individuals responding to the proposed legislation recorded in early March, the “aggressive” chickens have “overtaken the community.” Residents say they’re damaging and defecating on properties, obstructing roads and roosting in mango trees while making loud “cackling” noises from dawn until dusk.

“Many of us work long hours, even double shifts, and to not be able to sleep in due to the cacking and crowing of the feral roosters and chickens has really been an unfair burden and hardship,” wrote Hawaii resident Majid Joneidi.

“From dawn to setting sun, there is a constant crowing daily, and I work from home so it is hard and sometimes embarrassing if I have to make a call to the mainland and it sounds like I am in a barnyard,” testified Desiree Garner, who supports the program. “It has never been like this before and I am not sure how they got to this area, if for food and then became pets or if they naturally traversed.”

Alexander Esin wrote that there are more than 100 feral chickens and roosters roaming the street on Kanuku Street and Lokowai Place. Esin has to “dodge them all over the roadway,” while residents like Murdoch Ortiz have watched them create “havoc” by jumping on garbage bins and ripping up trash bags, scattering trash and debris everywhere.

But the chickens aren’t just loud and messy; they’re destructive. Sharon Peine wrote that they dig up yards, easements, shoulder areas and gardens, “even foraging under walls and sidewalks,” seriously damaging local infrastructure. “This is insane and needs to be corrected!” she emphasized.
Community members also say that the feral fowl are now becoming a statewide problem. “They've been here for many years but the issue has gotten really bad lately,” wrote Michele Harman. “Their populations are skyrocketing and they are quickly expanding their territory.”