Gwinnett commissioner trapping rampant chickens

NORCROSS, Ga. — Gwinnett County has found a solution to the wild flock of chickens running rampant in a Norcross neighborhood.

Residents say a wild flock of chickens have been enjoying life in the suburbs for about three years. Neighbors believe someone left them behind and the problem just keeps multiplying.

Gwinnett County commissioner Tommy Hunter heard the subject of their concerns.

"We went down there and listened to them go to roost and it's quite aggravating," Hunter said after visiting the Norcross neighborhood off old Norcross-Tucker Road.

"I was like holy cow! I hadn't seen nothing like that since I was a kid growing up," Hunter said. "These are not your every day, run-of-the-mill, fat, lay-around, do-nothing chickens. These are wild animals."

Channel 2's Kerry Kavanaugh went to the neighborhood last week and counted at least two dozen wild birds ranging from full grown roosters to chicks.

"I saw 50," Hunter said after his visit.

County animal control tried twice to catch them but was not successful.

"We saw them on power lines. We saw them high up in oak trees. You're not going to walk up and drop a net on them," Hunter said.

So Hunter decided to step in.

"I have experience in catching chickens, grew up doing that," he said.

Hunter said rounding up the chickens involved a pen and some chicken feed. He set it up, took a seat and waited to make his move.

"Then run up there and slam the door and then you got to jump in there and catch them," Hunter said, describing how he rounded up 18 chickens.

He said he will keep the chickens on his family's private farm.

When Kavanaugh went back Wednesday, she only spotted a couple of stragglers and one egg.

Hunter said he'll likely be back, but needs to let some time pass so the flock won't expect his trap.

WSBTV