Governor signs bill to help tame flocks of feral chickens in Hawaiʻi

Hawaiʻi’s parking lots, roadways, parks and neighborhoods have become hangouts for fine-feathered flocks of roosters and chickens. They’re a noisy, dirty nuisance, destroying gardens and farm crops.

A bill signed today by Gov. Josh Green requires the state Department of Agriculture and the counties to implement feral chicken control programs.

“Feral chickens and roosters have become a persistent nuisance, particularly in suburban and urban residential communities,” the legislative finding in Senate Bill 2401 says. “Feral chickens and roosters wander into yards and gardens, digging up plants, damaging food crops and jeopardizing native plants and resources. Feral roosters crow at all times of the day and night, which has led to numerous noise complaints by residents throughout the state, and droppings from feral chickens are unsanitary and create a health concern.”

The new law requires the state Department of Agriculture to implement feral chicken control programs with the counties. It says that the counties “shall” provide 100% of matching funds of those expended by the state for the feral chicken control program and for a public education campaign focused on not worsening the problem by feeding wild chickens.

The Hawaiʻi Farm Bureau submitted testimony in support of the measure.

“Across the state, various feral species are creating havoc on agriculture as well as the ecosystems in which they exist,” said Brian Miyamoto, the bureau’s executive director. “They continue to destroy crops and pasture lands by devouring any vegetation as they continue to spread. The feral chicken and rooster populations in Hawaiʻi have skyrocketed and have become an ever-increasing problem. Aside from roosters crowing in the hours before dawn, the feral chickens damage crops, spread weeds, threaten native plants and are a road hazard. The noise, health issues and environmental damage from feral chickens have become major concerns and must be controlled.”

In written testimony on the bill, Kimberly Hashiro, director of the City and County of Honolulu’s Department of Customer Services, supported the measure. She reported that, as of March 13, the city had entered into a five-year agreement with Sandwich Isle Pest Solutions for feral chicken management services.

Under the $50,000 contract, private landowners on Oʻahu can retain Sandwich Isle directly for feral chicken control, including cage rentals and disposal services, Hashiro said. The cost is shared by the city and private owner/manager. For example, a full service for one week costs $475, with the landowner paying $375 and city $100.

From Sept. 5, 2023, to Jan. 15, 2024, the contracted services resulted in euthanizing 111 feral chickens, she said.

The state departments of Agriculture and Health submitted testimony in favor of the bill. The Health Department said feeding feral animals can increase populations of chickens, cats or other animals, “which is not in the best interest of the animals themselves, the environment, or, in some cases, human health. Educating residents and visitors about the adverse effects of feeding feral animals is crucial to the success of any feral animal reduction program in Hawaiʻi.”

The Hawaiian Humane Society expressed support for sponsors of the bill “looking at this issue holistically, rather than presupposing that lethal control is the only possible strategy to curb the feral chicken population.”

“Education is the key component,” the society said. “We also advocate for stronger enforcement against cockfighting operations to reduce a primary source for this population, as well as prevent animal cruelty and protect humans from associated illegal activities.”

The society said adoption of an avian birth control program would be “more humane and less costly than lethal eradication.”

The widespread proliferation of feral chickens in Hawaiʻi has been tied to hurricanes Iwa in November 1982 and Iniki in September 1992. Strong winds destroyed domestic chicken coops and released chickens into the wild. There, the domesticated birds bred with wild red junglefowl, or moa, resulting in the birds that scurry about today.