Wild chickens on the street, can i catch em?

[Wyrm]

I live in Florida near Miami and there are a ton of chickens on the side of the road. They seem to be wild chickens and there is always a hen with chicks. My question is (and I've looked all over but not able to find a definitive answer), am I allowed to gather up the chicks to add to my backyard chicken flock? I'm aware of potential diseases and whatnot and would have them checked. My question is more on the legally moral side. I know I can catch em, but am I allowed to just pick up random ones from the side of the road?

 

[FactoryReject]

I live in Florida near Miami and there are a ton of chickens on the side of the road. They seem to be wild chickens and there is always a hen with chicks. My question is (and I've looked all over but not able to find a definitive answer), am I allowed to gather up the chicks to add to my backyard chicken flock? I'm aware of potential diseases and whatnot and would have them checked. My question is more on the legally moral side. I know I can catch em, but am I allowed to just pick up random ones from the side of the road?

If they have been there for a while then they have no owner. if so, then I think go ahead

 

[FactoryReject]

If they have been there for a while then they have no owner. if so, then I think go ahead

In fact I think it would show good morals

 

[Wyrm]

If they have been there for a while then they have no owner. if so, then I think go ahead

This is what I wanna do but encouragement doesn't mean legally able.

 

[AntiqueB]

Well, they're not protected native wildlife, so I don't think you can be in trouble. I would imagine it'd be like finding a dog. You take it, put up a flyer, and then just keep it.

 

[Florida Bullfrog]

It’s not illegal to free range chickens in Florida, so you’d have to know it wasn’t someone’s free ranger. And you can’t go onto land you don’t have permission to be on.

If the chicken is truly feral and you can catch it in a location you have a right to be, then you probably can do so legally.

Some municipalities consider their feral chickens to be city treasures and have special ordinances to protect them. Make sure that doesn’t apply to where you are. Or they may otherwise consider the chickens city property. For instance, Muscovy ducks are considered an invasive species in Florida and by default have no protection from the state wildlife agency. Yet many cities protect them because of the ducks’ popularity in parks. And even if the city has no ordinance protecting the ducks, the city may consider the ducks city property for theft purposes to the extent they live on city land. Florida law often considers feral livestock the property of whatever landowner owns the land the livestock is on.

 

[My2butterflies]

Can you call your local police department and ask them? They might be able to tell you the right person to call or just let you know if it’s legal or not.

 

[Wyrm]

It’s not illegal to free range chickens in Florida, so you’d have to know it wasn’t someone’s free ranger. And you can’t go onto land you don’t have permission to be on.

If the chicken is truly feral and you can catch it in a location you have a right to be, then you probably can do so legally.

Some municipalities consider their feral chickens to be city treasures and have special ordinances to protect them. Make sure that doesn’t apply to where you are. Or they may otherwise consider the chickens city property. For instance, Muscovy ducks are considered an invasive species in Florida and by default have no protection from the state wildlife agency. Yet many cities protect them because of the ducks’ popularity in parks. And even if the city has no ordinance protecting the ducks, the city may consider the ducks city property for theft purposes to the extent they live on city land. Florida law often considers feral livestock the property of whatever landowner owns the land the livestock is on.

Thanks for your response. I would not trespass to get chickens. I mean it when I say they are on the street. Like the road we drive on. These chickens haven't crossed to the other side yet.

 

[HawaiiCoyote]

I did exactly that a couple of years ago! I saw two nutrient-deficient pullets under a dumpster here in Hawaii, so I scooped them up - quarantined them both, and when I was certain they had no illnesses or worms I added them to my backyard flock! They are great jungle fowl hens, a bit skittish but are great broodies and lay daily!

 

[Wyrm]

Can you call your local police department and ask them? They might be able to tell you the right person to call or just let you know if it’s legal or not.

They gave me the local animal control number. AC they said they could come out to remove them. When I asked if I could, they said they didn't know if it would be safe to do so but didn't say not to.