Jersey is being terrorised by 100-strong gangs of feral chickens waking up locals and chasing joggers Residents have been making complaints about the birds, which have also become a traffic hazard

Jersey is being terrorised by hordes of feral chickens, which have been waking up locals, damaging gardens and even chasing joggers.

Residents have been making complaints about the birds, which have also become a traffic hazard. Two small culls have been carried out, but they continue to cause chaos, the Environment Minister has admitted.

It is believed the chickens were once pets which were abandoned, before rapidly breeding. They now roam the British island in 100-strong groups.

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There are no foxes in Jersey, which means the chickens are running round unchecked, without a natural predator.

‘Modest culls’

Environment Minister John Young said: “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.”

A total of 35 chickens were killed in the first two culls, carried out by a private pest controller.

Mr Young said his department has received 40 complaints about the birds so far this year.

Tough battle

Local authorities on the island say they are fighting a tough battle, and have urged people not to feed the chickens, as it encourages them to breed.

William Peggie, director of Environment for the States, said efforts to come up with a plan to tackle the issue had been hampered by the loss of the states vet, but with an interim replacement now appointed discussions could take place to find a practical solution.

He added that they did not know where and when people were abandoning chickens, making it hard to crack down on it.

Under nuisance legislation, landowners are able to “dispatch” chickens if they are causing a nuisance, he said, and action could be taken if a feral chicken was being fed in a way that causes a nuisance.

Feral chickens are not protected under the animal welfare law because they do not belong to anybody.