Lorraine Williamson
Torrevieja has an unusual urban problem: around 700 chickens now roam its streets, squares and parks. The saga began more than a decade ago when about 40 birds were abandoned in a park. With no effective containment plan, the flock multiplied and spread across the city.
Locals now regularly encounter chickens clucking through playgrounds, nesting under benches or even darting across the busy N-332 highway — a sight both comical and concerning.
Harmless but far from problem-free
Although the birds are not aggressive, their growing presence is disruptive. Residents complain of dawn crowing, droppings in public areas and risks for drivers forced to brake as chickens wander into traffic. The situation has become a question of safety and public hygiene as much as nuisance.
A costly plan that collapsed
Earlier this year, Torrevieja’s town hall approved a contract worth nearly €20,000 to capture the chickens and transfer them to sanctuaries or farms. But the winning contractor, Ecoplanín, pulled out after realising it would be responsible not just for catching the birds but also for finding permanent homes.
With animal welfare laws forbidding extermination, relocating hundreds of chickens requires space and resources few organisations can offer.
Officials hunt for alternatives
The municipality is now searching for another company willing to take on the challenge. So far, options are scarce: most pest-control firms specialise in eradication, not relocation. This legal hurdle has left Torrevieja in limbo, with chickens still multiplying as officials scramble for solutions.
Residents divided on the ‘feathered invasion’
Public opinion is split. Some locals demand urgent action, citing noise, hygiene concerns and road safety. Others take a softer view, treating the chickens as a quirky feature of the seaside city. Holidaymakers and children are often amused by the unexpected sight of hens scratching in flowerbeds or roosters strutting across pavements.
For some, the chickens have even become an odd tourist attraction.
September deadline looms
City leaders insist they will present a solution by September. Whether that means relocation, new tenders or a more creative strategy remains unclear.
Until then, Torrevieja must live with its feathered residents — a living reminder of how a small act of abandonment can snowball into a citywide crisis.
Source: El País