08-08-2025
Ducks cause ‘absolute havoc' on country roads
Residents are complaining of 'absolute havoc' as a flock of ducks cause chaos in a quiet Kent village.
The ownership of the ducks is unclear, but one Marden resident said 'over 2,000' of them had been released from farm land at the beginning of July.
Businesses in the area have been forced to put up signs warning of the ducks crossing the road in Collier Street and Green Lane, and motorists fear there'll soon be an accident as cars have to swerve and slam on the brakes to avoid the 'nervous' birds.
One resident, who wanted to remain anonymous said: 'At the beginning of July, as I understand, over 2,000 ducks were released on farm land.
'They haven't been acclimatised so they got out on the road and they were very panicked and nervous. They have no survival skills because they were bred in captivity.
It is believed the ducks are being homed in a field in the area, although the ownership is unclear. A fence has now been erected around the field in a apparent bid to stop the roaming.
The resident added that the ducks are being 'picked off by predators' and that there are 'dead ducks everywhere'.
She said 'it's like living next to Hitchcock's The Birds' and said the noise of constant quacking and motorists beeping their horns has left her with 'ducky tinnitus'.
Kate Graves, 54, who owns the Willows End Tea Room, says the ducks have been causing problems on local roads – and she fears an accident will happen soon.
She said: 'At first we thought someone had a massive brood and they would fly off soon. I don't think that they are being fed properly so they are coming down to look for food.
'They were coming down and causing absolute havoc on this road.
She added: 'Because they are juvenile they can only waddle around, so they can't fly away or pick up momentum.'
Her daughter Royan Graves, 29, added: 'This is a crazy busy road and people come down it fast. There are also loads of HGVs which don't come down here slowly.
'At the speed people come down here they can't slam their foot on the breaks if someone has stopped.
'This road also floods a lot and things will be even worse if its wet. It would be like living in a pond.'
