Residents’ fury as flock of feral fowl living wild in woodland are ripping up their gardens
A FLOCK of feral fowl have got folk in a flap, ripping up their gardens and making a racket.
The 100-strong clutch of crazed chickens live wild in woodland near a village.
Fed-up residents say their constant clucking and crowing is driving them to distraction.
The feathered fiends are also digging up gardens, while food left out has led to a rat infestation.
Company director Ben King, 48, lives near the pesky poultry in Snettisham, Norfolk, and says he needs earplugs to sleep at night.
“They’re out of control,” he added.
Parish councillor Rod Mackenzie added: “They’re a pain in the butt. If they come into your garden they dig everything up.”
He said visitors leaving food for the birds were also encouraging rats.
Mr Mackenzie said: “It’s not just food for the chickens, it’s every bit of detritus they can find, and that brings rats.
“Someone left a quart of pink prawns the other week. The rats are quite sizable around here and they breed like hell.”
After complaints the parish council agreed to consult a chicken rehoming charity for help and has put up signs asking people not to feed the birds.
But other residents have defended the chickens.
Graeme McQuade, 43, said they “give character to the place”.
Another neighbour added: “There’s more important things going on in the world than a few chickens. They should get a life.”
In 2020, South Norfolk council threatened residents with an £80 fine if they fed 200 feral chickens which were living on a housing estate in Diss.