Aucklanders are being told to stick to half a dozen chooks per household in urban areas.

West Auckland man Chao Su wants a million dollars compensation, saying people don't want to buy his house because of his former neighbour's 100 chickens.

He says the neighbour's moved on, but some of the birds have been left behind and are a major nuisance and health hazard.

Auckland Councillor Linda Cooper told Mike Hosking that under the Animal Management Bylaw, the maximum number of chickens allowed in urban areas is six.

"As long as you don't have rooster and your animals don't cause a nuisance like smell and a lot of noise, then that's fine." 

She says most people stick to that limit.

"Some people are really get themselves out of hand. We had people feeding hundreds of ducks in their backyard - any extremes don't work." 

LISTEN ABOVE

• Feral chickens left behind by former neighbour continue to terrorise Auckland suburb