One of Hawaii's Strangest Surprises
My daughter and her boyfriend went to Hawaii the day after Christmas and enjoyed the sunshine straight through after New Year’s. I can’t wait to see all the photos and hear about the happy memories they made.
One thing
Amanda texted me about while she was there was her complete confusion over all the chickens and roosters roaming around residential neighborhoods.
Why are there chickens everywhere? she asked. So, of course, I looked it up.
Hurricanes helped set them free
Over the years, hurricanes damaged coops and small farms across the islands. When fences came down, many chickens escaped. Unlike other places, no big effort was made to round them all up. They adapted
quickly and just…stayed.
Wild + domestic = super-resilient chickens
Hawaii already had wild junglefowl long before neighborhoods existed. Escaped domestic chickens interbred with them, creating the hardy,
street-smart chickens you see today. These birds are survivors.
Few natural predators
Hawaii doesn’t have many natural predators like foxes to keep chicken populations in check. With fewer threats and plenty of
food sources (bugs, scraps, and greenery) the population flourished.
A very Hawaiian attitude
In many areas, especially on islands like Kauai, chickens are simply accepted as part of everyday life. They’re
tolerated, sometimes even appreciated, and rarely removed unless they become a serious problem. It’s very much a live and let live mindset.
Chickens have learned neighborhood life is good
Residential areas mean
warm pavement, easy meals, and very little danger. Sidewalks, front yards, and parking lots have become prime chicken real estate.
The roosters crow all day (and night)
These aren’t farm-managed birds, so
roosters crow whenever they feel like it...sunrise, midday, or 2 a.m. It’s one of the most talked-about (and joked-about) sounds of island life.
I kind of love that this was one of Amanda’s “wait… what?” moments from the trip. Sometimes it’s the unexpected details, like chickens casually crossing the street, that make a
place feel memorable, charming, and completely unlike home.
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