Feeding Key West Chickens Makes Them Sick, Officials Say

Key West city officials are asking people not to feed feral chickens, according to Fl Key News on Monday (September 29).

These feral chickens roam across the island, and people leave food for them. Officials said this happens every year.

"The food mixes with bacteria in the soil and causes chickens to fall ill," Fl Keys News reported.

Tom Sweets, the executive director of Key West Wildlife Center, said people shouldn't be feeding the chickens at all.

“They’re doing more harm than good,” Sweets said. “They don’t need to be fed. We’ve never seen an emaciated healthy chicken here that was part of the feral chicken population. For some reason, people think they have to feed them.”

People have been calling the wildlife center, claiming neighbors are poisoning the wild birds. Sweets said it's not poisoning; the chickens just get sick from food they're not supposed to consume. This includes bird feeds, seeds and junk food like fries and chips.

"Symptoms include closed eyes and paralysis. Some recover, but they can die from exposure," Fl Keys News reported.

City officials attributed the sickness to botulism, but the wildlife center can't afford to test every sick bird and figure out the cause.

If people care about the chickens, they’ll stop giving them food, Sweets said.

Photo: Getty Images