Establishing Feral Chicken flock

[Feral-chicken-dude]

I came here via google. I live in east-central florida. I grew up going to the florida keys and seeing feral chickens from Largo to Key West. Here We are just now getting the larger, multicolored lizards. The large iguanas are rare. But we have also been inundated by these small lizards. They are everywhere. And while I understand they help control the bugs, they crap everywhere and I hate it. Im too busy in my career to properly care for a flock and was interested in releasing a feral population (do they like lizard?) we do have predators. Mainly coons, cats, and hawks. How do I do this?

 

[Poultrybonkers]

I came here via google. I live in east-central florida. I grew up going to the florida keys and seeing feral chickens from Largo to Key West. Here We are just now getting the larger, multicolored lizards. The large iguanas are rare. But we have also been inundated by these small lizards. They are everywhere. And while I understand they help control the bugs, they crap everywhere and I hate it. Im too busy in my career to properly care for a flock and was interested in releasing a feral population (do they like lizard?) we do have predators. Mainly coons, cats, and hawks. How do I do this?

Theres already wild chickens in florida if they arent eating lizards its a waste of time

 

[Mossy Dell]

The answer is yes you can and no you can't. Read the thread. Chickens will eat baby lizards but I wonder if they'd impact the population more than native birds do. And they'd crap all over your drive and scratch up any mulched beds.

 

[Feral-chicken-dude]

Theres already wild chickens in florida if they arent eating lizards its a waste of time

I have no wild chickens near me. But the lizard population is off-the-hook. Should I buy trapped wild chickens, buy free range chickens and release? Im willing to throw some feed. Theres plenty of tall, shrubby trees to roost.

 

[Feral-chicken-dude]

The answer is yes you can and no you can't. Read the thread. Chickens will eat baby lizards but I wonder if they'd impact the population more than native birds do. And they'd crap all over your drive and scratch up any mulched beds.

Well, the birds and snakes arent doing a very good job controlling the lizard population. I find lizard eggs everywhere. I have read all 12 pages of this thread. Mostly farmers. I live in a very old waterfront suburb that’s reminds me a lot of the florida keys where the chickens are wild. The keys have a big problem with the giant iguanas.

 

[U_Stormcrow]

Well, the birds and snakes arent doing a very good job controlling the lizard population. I find lizard eggs everywhere. I have read all 12 pages of this thread. Mostly farmers. I live in a very old waterfront suburb that’s reminds me a lot of the florida keys where the chickens are wild. The keys have a big problem with the giant iguanas.

Deliberate introduction of animals into the environment, with hopes they might go feral and offer controls of another species introduced by humans into the environment is likely to have unintended consequences - as well as very high initial mortality.

Recommend you not "play God" with your environment, as you clearly don't know what you are doing, and are soliciting anonymous advice (albeit more qualified to opine on this subject than the average voter) on the Internet. The great weight of history (Boas in the 'glades, Kudzu, Cane Toads, Harlequin Ladybird (ladybug), Paper Mulberry) suggests what you propose is a very bad idea.

 

[Feral-chicken-dude]

Deliberate introduction of animals into the environment, with hopes they might go feral and offer controls of another species introduced by humans into the environment is likely to have unintended consequences - as well as very high initial mortality.

Recommend you not "play God" with your environment, as you clearly don't know what you are doing, and are soliciting anonymous advice (albeit more qualified to opine on this subject than the average voter) on the Internet. The great weight of history (Boas in the 'glades, Kudzu, Cane Toads, Harlequin Ladybird (ladybug), Paper Mulberry) suggests what you propose is a very bad idea.

Better than pesticides. Besides, this is just a weird reply. Im not playing god. chickens do roam free. Sorry I asked

 

[U_Stormcrow]

Better than pesticides. Besides, this is just a weird reply. Im not playing god. chickens do roam free. Sorry I asked

I'll throw you one more bone.

When the United States and surrounding areas were being colonized by Europeans stealing their way out of the Dark Ages, they deliberately let loose populations of animals that they first went to the great risk and expense of transporting across the ocean - in hopes they would become feral populations they could later count on as protein sources in future travels. MANY wild pig and wild chicken populations were started that way, particularly in the area of the Carribbean.

That there is not currently a feral poultry population in your area suggests either its not well suited to it, or that it was deliberately wiped out. Check your local library and find out.

 

[RoostersAreAwesome]

I came here via google. I live in east-central florida. I grew up going to the florida keys and seeing feral chickens from Largo to Key West. Here We are just now getting the larger, multicolored lizards. The large iguanas are rare. But we have also been inundated by these small lizards. They are everywhere. And while I understand they help control the bugs, they crap everywhere and I hate it. Im too busy in my career to properly care for a flock and was interested in releasing a feral population (do they like lizard?) we do have predators. Mainly coons, cats, and hawks. How do I do this?

If there’s a place in Florida that doesn’t have a huge feral chicken problem, you should definitely not create one. Please don’t release invasive animals.