Honolulu pest crews struggle with feral chicken interference
City officials report that residents are releasing trapped birds and continuing to feed flocks, slowing population control efforts on Oahu.
By Martin Reynolds ·
Public interference is stalling Honolulu’s campaign to control its feral chicken population. The City and County of Honolulu’s Department of Customer Services stated that ongoing tampering with trapping efforts is undermining progress on Oahu.
The city has deployed specialized traps in high-complaint areas and installed “Do Not Feed Feral Chicken” signs in public parks and on municipal buses. It also offers discounted trapping and disposal services for private property owners. While official complaints about chickens on public land have declined, the city’s pest-control contractor reports that public actions continue to complicate the work.
Residents and visitors have vandalized or tampered with traps, released captured birds, and kept feeding the flocks. Director Kim Hashiro, who oversees the animal-control program, explained that feeding the birds encourages them to stay in specific areas. This concentration leads to excessive crowing, damage to public spaces, unsanitary droppings, and disturbances to household pets.
Hashiro noted that the city cannot solve the issue in isolation. “We need every segment of our community, from residents to business owners, to help us by not feeding these birds and letting our pest-control teams do their jobs safely,” she said.
The department urges the public to stop feeding feral chickens, leave traps undisturbed, and allow authorized crews to work. Additional information is available at www.honolulu.gov/csd/feral-chickens/.
