We've heard of feral dogs being a problem for joggers, but feral chickens??
In the UK, the Channel Island of Jersey is having a terrible time with wild animals terrorizing their town. No, it's not coyotes, foxes, or any other four-legged animal. These pesky animals get around on two legs. The good people of Jersey have feral chicken terrorizing their town. According to a Unilad article, Jersey is known for being a vacation destination since it is calm and peaceful. However, the idyllic scene is being disrupted by 100 feathered foes.
Many residents want to see the chicken problem dealt with. The government has received many complaints about the chickens creating too much "noise and persistent scratching." Roosters wake people up at 4:00 am every morning with their crowing. Then there is the persistent clucking throughout the day from the rest of the flock. The biggest problem is that the birds are very aggressive toward people, often attacking in groups. A gang of chickens following you is the last thing you want to see while running down the road.
Feral Chickens Terrorize Jersey Residents
RELATED: A Brief History of Chickens: Where Do They Come From?
There really is no such thing as wild chickens, so the biggest question is, where did these gangs of feral chickens come from? They were abandoned pets, and the island does not have any natural predators to keep the flock under control. As a result, the chicken population has grown rapidly as they continue to breed unchecked, and even worse, the feral chickens are terrorizing the town.
The city government has hired a few pest controllers to help mitigate the problem. There have been culls of about 35 birds, but that has not been enough to make the residents happy, nor solve the issue of these fowl birds.
According to Environment Minister John Young, "We are now dealing with very large numbers - the culls that happened were quite modest."
We are in a situation where we have got animal lovers on the one hand and where we have got those who are experiencing a nuisance on the other. I can't pretend to sit here and say I have got an answer to that.-John Young
There are multiple flocks all around the island with the biggest being 100 strong. Mr. Young has quite the problem on his hands! We cannot imagine the mess 100 plus chickens could make!
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