Feral chickens terrorise New Zealand suburb – and the out-of-control chooks’ food is attracting ‘rats the size of cats’
- Up to 250 chickens were in Titirangi, suburb west of Auckland, in March 2019
- The food that was left behind by residents also attracted a swarm of large rats
- Before the coronavirus lockdown, council contractors caught 248 chickens
- When the lockdown was lifted, locals found the chicken population multiplied
- Here’s how to help people impacted by Covid-19
Feral chickens are terrorising a quiet Auckland suburb after coronavirus restrictions were lifted, and have attracted a swarm of large rats.
Before the country went into lockdown in late March 2019, the suburb of Titirangi, west of Auckland, was dealing with an infestation of up to 250 feral chickens.
The situation worsened after it was discovered the chickens harm the roots of the endangered kauri tree and that food left out for the birds by locals attracted rats ‘the size of cats.’
Council contractors managed to capture and relocate 248 of the birds before the operation ceased due to the lockdown but after it was lifted, the chicken population significantly multiplied.
Before the country went into lockdown in late March 2019, the suburb of Titirangi, west of Auckland, was dealing with an infestation of up to 250 feral chickens.
Greg Presland, the chair of the Waitākere Ranges community board, had a theory to explain the sudden increase of the chicken population.
‘There’s a very kind-hearted local who feeds them and has kept feeding them so the numbers have started to spike up again,’ Mr Presland told The Guardian.
‘And we’re convinced that there’s been at least two dumping episodes, where someone’s got their chickens and just dumped them in the village.’
Mr Presland warned that the chicken population will continue to increase if the locals keep feeding them.
Their situation worsened after it was discovered the chickens harm the roots of the endangered kauri tree and the food left out for the birds by locals attracted rats ‘the size of cats.’
The chicken problem first began in 2008 when a resident released two domesticated chickens.
By 2019, the feral chicken population had grown to about 250 and had become an icon of the area, prompting people to leave food out for the birds.
The local warm opinion of the chickens was cooled by the subsequent rat infestation and the roosters’ dawn crowing, and residents called for the chickens to be safely moved to a farm.
‘A combination of being sleep deprived and seeing the neighbourhood wrecked made some people really hate them,’ Mr Presland said.
Council contractors were tasked with relocating the chickens and set up several large nets throughout the area to catch them.
But the chicken’s safety was extremely important to the locals and they requested a vet to remain on standby to check the captured birds and ensure they were cared-for upon relocation.
Council contractors managed to capture and relocate 248 of the birds before the operation ceased due to the lockdown but after it was lifted, locals were greeted to a chicken population that had significantly multiplied
The contractors caught and relocated about 230 chickens and eight more were captured just before New Zealand went into lockdown.
Two chickens managed to avoid capture and the contractor’s operation was suspended until the lockdown was eased.
Locals are divided on what to do with the feral chickens as some enjoy their company while others believe they are a nuisance and want them removed.
‘The chickens are a part of the Titirangi community. It adds to the charm,’ one young woman told Seven Sharp.
Another woman said: ‘They are quite cool and you can hear the roosters going which is nice.’
One young father said he didn’t have a problem when the chickens first appeared but recently, he said they are going ‘crazy.’
‘I was walking my young son past a chicken area and they tried to get at him. They are pretty feral.’