Video of wild chickens chase in Yishun sparks online debate

A video showing four men using long-handled nets in an attempt to catch wild chickens has sparked debate online.

While some residents welcomed the efforts to address what they see as a growing nuisance, others questioned if the attempted capture was carried out humanely.

The video, posted in Facebook group Complaint Singapore on Wednesday (July 15), is believed to have been filmed at public housing estate Yishun Boardwalk.

Captioned, "I was just on the bus... then I saw the whole neighbourhood chasing a chicken", the short clip shows four men attempting to surround a wild chicken.

A man in an orange shirt first approached the bird from one side of a grassy patch, while two men in white shirts swung their nets in its direction. Another man in an orange shirt was also seen running over to assist the others.

AsiaOne understands that the wild chickens were eventually caught.

Netizens left divided

The footage has since drawn mixed reactions from netizens.

Some questioned whether it was necessary to capture the chicken and whether the methods used were humane. 

One netizen urged the town council to "leave the kampong chickens and hens undisturbed", saying their loud morning calls serve as "natural alarm clocks".

Another commented that the chickens "don't cause a mess" and are part of an ecosystem's "natural balance".

Others, however, supported the efforts to control the wild chicken population, saying the birds have become a persistent nuisance in the estate.

One commented: "There are too many chickens now." The commenter added that the chickens were "very noisy" and could be heard crowing even between 2am to 4am, disturbing residents' sleep.

Town Council: Balancing residents' concerns

Nee Soon Town Council, which manages the area, said it has received feedback from residents about disturbances caused by wild chickens, particularly regarding early-morning crowing.

The Town Council stressed that it takes residents' feedback seriously and "will carry out regular measures to control the wild chicken population when necessary". 

At the same time, the agency said it recognises that wildlife is part of the community environment and is committed to addressing the issue in a responsible and balanced manner.

AsiaOne has reached out to Nee Soon Town Council for further information.

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eriko.lim@asiaone.com