Feral Chickens in South Florida ?

[Silver Fox]

I recently watched a TV show (Dirtiest Jobs ?) about the feral chickens in South Florida, and I was shocked. Not only is it sad that chicken owners released them, intentionally or not, but the way they are being rounded up by county employess ("Chicken Busters"). Does anyone have accurate details on this issue, how it started, and what the community wants to do about it?
I grew up in Miami in the 60's and I last visited in the mid 90's. Even back then I was amazed on the number of wild Parrots & other exotic birds, and Iguanas running around. Now close to 9000 (or is it 90,000) chickens are living and breeding in Dade County.
Some explantions, thoughts, feelings on this would be appreciated. I'm not sure how I feel about this, or what should be done about the chickens.

 

[Cindiloohoo]

Unfortunately things like THIS is why there are laws banning chickens in some cities now. Florida seems to be the worst place for non domestic animals running rampant to the point of over populating...it's so sad! It hurts the reputation of responsible pet owners, and urban farmers. It's a horrible injustice to the animals as well! *sigh* I digress.....

 

[fordmommy]

Yes. Dirt Jobs. A lot of Mike Rowe fans here.

It is sad that it happens. It's so warm down there that anything can survive. As for chickens. Just think how easy it is for them to be with their owners one minute and over the fence and gone in another.

 

[KOTurkeyRanch]

I bet their easter egg hunts are fun on easter! hahah

 

[Sir Birdaholic]

Yes, I remember SEVERAL years back, they were protected & loved. If only they knew chickens & their hatch rate.

 

[Kelly G]

We had neighbors in Miami that thought it would be beautiful to have peacocks in our peice of paradise. Each of the homes are on 1-2 acres in a planned community...many homes backed up to the ocean. The homes are in the range of $600,000 to well over a million...ten years ago.

The peacocks were NOT a big hit. And they reproducd amazingly well! There were probably 20 at the peak of all this mess. The peacocks were LOUD!!!! The scratched peoples' cars (when you were successful at chasing them away). They could be aggressive & dangerous to small children. It was difficult to get red of them (can't shoot guns in this neighborhood). The evidently were too smart to be easily trapped. The people that owned the breeding pair swore that they threw out the fertile eggs. Right. Whatever.

In the end, Hurricane Andrew took care of the problem...we never saw another pea fowl again...and when the neighborhood rebuilt - the idiots who had them to begin with sold their home "as-is" after the hurricane. Problem solved.

What an absolute nuisance!

 

[barred-rocks-rock]

Wow