In the 1700s, sugarcane was introduced to the islands, and large plantations soon sprung up. These plantations brought with them a menagerie of animals, including chickens. When the sugar industry began to decline in the late 1800s, many of these animals were simply let loose and left to fend for themselves.

The ubiquitous presence of feral chickens in Hawai'i is the result of both ancient history and modern natural disasters. The original Red Junglefowl (moa) were brought to the islands by Polynesian voyagers nearly 1,500 years ago as a sustainable food source. Over centuries, these birds established wild populations. The population exploded in modern times, particularly on the island of Kaua'i, following Hurricane Iwa (1982) and Hurricane Iniki (1992). These powerful storms decimated domestic chicken coops, allowing farm-raised breeds to escape and interbreed with the wild junglefowl. Because Hawai'i lacks significant terrestrial predators like snakes, foxes, or coyotes, the hybrid "feral chickens" have thrived without natural checks on their growth. Today, they are found everywhere from beaches to parking lots. While tourists often find them charming or "quirky," many residents view them as a nuisance due to their early-morning crowing and tendency to forage in gardens. They have become a permanent, feathered symbol of the islands' unique ecological and cultural history.