New Zealand may have just declared victory over the coronavirus, but the battle has only begun for 4,000 citizens who fear losing their tiny town to an old foe: the feral chicken.Residents in the community of Titirangi, near Auckland, say they’ve been living on feral chicken time ever since about 30 of the wild birds moved in during lockdowns to slow the spread of COVID-19 earlier this year.
Roosters wake them up every morning, clucking sounds disturb them at all hours and there’s chicken poop everywhere.The messy birds have also attracted large rats that eat their leftovers.
The poultry plague is an old nightmare for many of Titirangi’s 4,000 residents, who shelled out thousands to drive them away last year.