Residents of Man Uk Bin village, Shataukok, were cagey yesterday about the whereabouts of their poultry, as news of the government's impending ban on backyard farming spread in the area.
They insisted all birds had been eaten during the Lunar New Year.
'We've had nothing but chicken for days,' said Ko Tai-choi, who last week refused to surrender her four chickens to officers from the Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department.
Both she and her son, Chan Bing-gun, expressed dissatisfaction with the impending ban, saying the government did not understand their way of life.
'We're just trying to live off the land, raising a few chickens to eat on special occasions,' Mr Chan said.
'It's not right that the government can do this. Surely the risk is much greater in farms that raise hundreds of chickens in close proximity. The government should act on the basis of facts, not fear.'
The pair said they had no plans to rear chickens until the ban was lifted. But later in the day a chicken was seen wandering around the premises.
