Feral Chickens

Bermuda has a large population of feral chickens (Gallus domesticus) that are a serious threat to our parks and agricultural lands. These once domestic chickens have now established a breeding population in the wild so they are referred to as ‘feral’. These wild chickens are a nuisance as they disturb gardens and many of us have been awoken at night by a crowing rooster! There is also a significant economic cost from controlling the chicken population and from the damage they cause. Collectively, farmers are losing hundreds of thousands of dollars in crop damage caused by feral chickens, crows and pigeons. Every farmer in every parish has at some time been negatively impacted by these losses. Feral chickens feed on the tender green leaves of newly germinated crops, stripping them bare causing the plant to die or become severely stunted. It’s not unusual to find a field of young broccoli, cauliflower, kale, lettuce, beans or bok choy completed destroyed by chickens. Feral chickens also feed on maturing fruits and vegetables causing damage to crops such as bananas, strawberries, cucumbers, carrots, corn, peppers and tomatoes. The loss to the farmer is not only the crop but also the seed planted, the fertilizer used, as well as the time and labor involved getting the plant to the stage where it was destroyed. These losses along with those already faced by farmers from inclement weather, pests, disease and theft cause great concern for Bermuda’s food security.

There is also the possibility that these birds could act as hosts and vectors for disease, should the avian flu or other diseases ever reach Bermuda. Given that many feral chicken populations occur in parks and nature reserves, it is not at all unlikely that they could contract diseases from migrating birds and spread them to other wild birds.

Chickens have no significant predators in Bermuda. Chicks may be killed by rats or crows, and some chickens are killed by cars, but there is no significant predation to keep the population in check. If you have a few chickens on your property don’t wait to take action and if you find chicken eggs destroy them. Feral chickens should never be fed or otherwise encouraged.

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