'Cruel to keep them locked up': Makeshift chicken coop in Yishun community garden ruffles residents' feathers
A Yishun resident was surprised when he recently discovered that his neighbours were rearing chickens.
The man surnamed Chen, who lives in Block 429A in Orchid Spring @ Yishun, told Lianhe Zaobao that he heard chickens crowing while he was at home on June 18. He did not find any chickens when he went downstairs to investigate.
The next day, the 41-year-old technician discovered the source of the noise — a makeshift chicken coop in the nearby community garden, which is on the roof of a multi-story car park.
Photos taken by Chen show that the coop, made up of several wooden boards, is placed inside a fenced area. It houses at least five Silkie chickens.
A signboard attached to the fence reads "Uncle and auntie's chicken farm, everyone is welcomed to come and visit".
It also includes instructions for visitors to help replenish the animals' water and feed, as well as reminders to keep their hands clean and avoid touching items in the chicken coop.
Two regular chickens can also be seen inside a storage container beside the coop.
Chen added that once he reported his discovery to the Nee Soon Town Council, the signboard was removed, and the chickens were locked up in the coop and storage container.
"I think the people looking after the chickens are inexperienced. The chickens are on the top floor and are exposed to the sun in the afternoon," the resident told the Chinese daily.
"They also need to move around freely, it's cruel to keep them locked up."
The chickens were still locked up on Tuesday (July 2), according to a Zaobao reporter who visited the community garden that day.
Residents' network looking to rehome chickens
The community garden, which has a variety of plants and a "kampung" atmosphere, is managed by the Orchid Spring @ Yishun Residents' Network.
Hu Xiumei, the resident in charge of the community garden, told Zaobao that the chickens in question belong to a member of the network.
As the chickens were brought in for the residents' viewing pleasure as well as educational purposes, Hu did not expect them to cause a disturbance.
Following complaints from residents, the network is considering rehoming the chickens, but she explained that it will take time to do so.
Responding to AsiaOne's queries, a spokesperson for Nee Soon Town Council said that the community garden's maintenance is the responsibility of residents and volunteers.
"The town council is committed to keeping common areas clean and provides assistance to the residents when necessary," she added.
In an oral response to a parliamentary question in November 2022, the Ministry of National Development said that while up to 10 poultry that can be reared on any premises on a non-commercial basis, it is not allowed in the case of HDB flats and common spaces.
This is to mitigate the risk of spreading avian disease and to safeguard human and animal health.
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bhavya.rawat@asiaone.com
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