At the height of the summer season, when Torrevieja traditionally welcomes thousands of tourists, local residents are facing an unexpected problem: hundreds of chickens and roosters are roaming freely through the city streets. According to the municipality, their number reached approximately 700 in 2025. The birds have settled in green areas, parks, and even busy road junctions, which has caused discontent among residents and poses a threat to traffic safety.
The problem with chickens in Torrevieja is not new. For several years, residents have noticed the birds appearing in different parts of the city, especially near major parks such as Parque de las Naciones, as well as on roundabouts at city entrances and exits. Locals report being woken early in the morning by the crowing of roosters, and in some cases, chickens cross roads, causing dangerous traffic situations.
At the beginning of 2025, the city administration decided to take control of the situation and announced a tender for the capture and relocation of the birds to a specialized center. The contract called for the humane capture of all 700 chickens and their transport to a registered zoological center, where they would be provided proper care. The city was prepared to pay nearly 20,000 euros for the job, which sparked heated debate among residents, who were dissatisfied with the high service cost and the unclear future of the birds.
However, seven months after the procedure began, the situation remains unchanged. The company that won the tender unexpectedly backed out of the contract, and now the municipality is forced to look for a new contractor among the other contestants. This means the problem will persist for at least several more weeks, if not longer.
Residents of Torrevieja express fatigue and frustration. According to them, the chickens not only disturb their sleep but also pose a danger on the roads, especially in areas adjacent to large parks and transport hubs. Some note that the birds often run across the road, startling drivers and causing sudden braking.
Municipal authorities admit that the city lacks its own resources to solve the problem. Officials emphasize that the chickens are forced to live in unfavorable conditions, sharing space with cars and pedestrians. This is dangerous both for the birds themselves and for the city’s residents.
Previous attempts have been made to cope with the chicken invasion. In 2022, a contract was signed to catch 500 birds, but it was not possible to completely get rid of them. Locals note that despite all efforts, chickens and roosters continue to appear on the streets, and their numbers are not decreasing.
Currently, the largest gatherings of birds are observed in parks and on the outskirts of the city, especially near major transport interchanges. In the city center, chickens are rarely seen, but at the entrances and exits, they can be spotted almost daily. Residents are concerned that if the situation does not change, the number of birds will only increase.
The origin of such a mass appearance of chickens in Torrevieja remains a mystery. Some residents suggest that the birds may have been released intentionally or escaped from private farms, but there is no concrete information. Authorities have promised to tighten control and continue searching for a solution to restore the city to its usual order and calm.
