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Click to enlargeIn a town in south, it is not uncommon to see chickens running all over town. Actually, they are not chickens, but Burmese Game Fowl brought to a settlement north of town for a project which was unsuccessful and evidently they were just turned loose in the woods. They made their way down to the nearest town. They can fly across parking lots and up into high trees. They have been around for a long, long time and believe you me they have not been slack 
in multiplying!
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People stop their vehicles to let the chickens cross the busy streets, sometime a whole family, the mama and several little chicks. They don't necessarily obey the traffic lights.
One Sunday as we were walking to a restaurant for lunch, we saw a mama and five or six little ones coming across the street. She got to the curb with a 3 or 4 of them. As usual with children, some of them lollygaged behind. She began to cheep----cheep, calling to them and they hurried on over and hopped up on the curb and she carried her little flock on down the street.
Half the town loves them........and half the town hates them. The ones that love them say they are a tourist attraction and help promote the town. They even have a festival to honor them which is this coming weekend. It's advertised far and wide and the ' Festival' draws quite a crowd. You can enter the 'crowing' contest, shop at the craft booths, eat all kinds of ethnic foods and look to your heart's content.
The ones that hate them do so because they are free range, going wherever they please, scratching in the flower beds and leaving droppings that are not pleasant!
By the way, there is a city ordinance against firing a firearm in the city limits in case you are thinking of having chicken and dumplings.............
in multiplying!Click to enlarge
People stop their vehicles to let the chickens cross the busy streets, sometime a whole family, the mama and several little chicks. They don't necessarily obey the traffic lights.
One Sunday as we were walking to a restaurant for lunch, we saw a mama and five or six little ones coming across the street. She got to the curb with a 3 or 4 of them. As usual with children, some of them lollygaged behind. She began to cheep----cheep, calling to them and they hurried on over and hopped up on the curb and she carried her little flock on down the street.
Half the town loves them........and half the town hates them. The ones that love them say they are a tourist attraction and help promote the town. They even have a festival to honor them which is this coming weekend. It's advertised far and wide and the ' Festival' draws quite a crowd. You can enter the 'crowing' contest, shop at the craft booths, eat all kinds of ethnic foods and look to your heart's content.
The ones that hate them do so because they are free range, going wherever they please, scratching in the flower beds and leaving droppings that are not pleasant!
By the way, there is a city ordinance against firing a firearm in the city limits in case you are thinking of having chicken and dumplings.............
21 comments:
Betty, that is just the neatest story! I may have to tell it on my blog one day. I think I would love the chickens. Now I want to come to your town and check it out! lol
I love your blog. It just gets better and better!
Hi Betty! I love this post too! I think its so neat too!! Ive never heard of that before. Ive heard the joke though " why did the chicken cross the street" and I always thought: chickens crossing a street!?! I never seen that before UNTIL your picture lol!
I love this!! Id come to your town too, just to see this :) What a fun town!
Hugs,
Candy
Hi, Betty, thanks for stopping by to see me! Nice to read about your famous chickens..what a story. I know exactly where Fitzgerald is..I grew up in N. Atlanta (Marietta) & went to camp down that way for years. I'm a preacher's kid, so I'm sure we would have a lot to talk about. Love bunnies & I see you do too. Please come back & visit me again.
Rhoda
Southern Hospitality
I REALLY want to eat some!! You know I bet they are really good & good for you since they are not feeding off of the hormone added chicken feed. I love chickens! It has been a long time since I went to Fitzgerald. My minister of music is from there. Guess what we are having for supper tonight....chicken & rice!!
What an interesting attraction for your town. I, for one, love chickens, although perhaps if they ran wild through my yard, I might feel differently!
Loved seeing all the pictures!!
:)
I, too, thoroughly enjoyed this post about your town's chickens! :)
I think it's great the town keeps them the way they do. I know they can be a nuisance for some, but they sure are pretty. Ours are free range, so droppings can be a problem, but they help keep the bugs eaten.
I would love to come and see the chickens in person!! I have always wanted pet chickens and enjoy seeing pictures of them! Thank you for sharing the pictures and story!
Kelli
That post made me smile. It also brought back memories of my childhood when the chicken run all over the land we lived on at the time. It was a great sight them but I don't know about in a town. connie from Texas
What a fascinating story Betty, they look so beautiful with such a magnificent tail. I would like to see chickens walking about our village, I think it looks a very ‘country’ sight. We do get sheep that sometimes get out of their field and take a wander down the lane. I’m not too sure I’d be happy to have chickens scratching around my garden though.
Often farmers will bring a flock of sheep through the village, moving them to pastures further up the valley, thoughtful farmers will have someone go ahead and close any open gates. I was most annoyed on one occasion when a flock got into my garden, the sheep were so scared and didn’t know where to go, a few of my terracotta pots were broken that day. All the farmer did when he came to retrieve them was to say ‘sorry’. I suppose that was something! Marion
The children always beg me to stop and pick up some of the biddies! LOL Of course, I tell them that we must leave them with their mama! When we go to town to visit Chad at work, there are lots and lots of chickens roaming the north side...I think, even more over there than everywhere else. I ALWAYS have to stop at least once to let them pass by!
This was a great post...I guess like a lot of things, I take seeing the chickens for granted because I've seen them all my life.
Amy
I betty on computer now if your there?
To anyone reading this, betty and I are currently having a conversation via comment !!! He He
The weather is brilliant here today although they forecast snow for next week which seems surreal !
I'm currently making fairy cakes (you say cup cakes in usa) with vanilla I bought in Grenada 3 years ago..scrummy
Need to go now, sorry betty talk on Monday if your around. Cakes need to come out of oven ... don't want to burn them - love Julia x
To all you sweet, welcome visitors:
I haven't gotten around to thanking you for your visits and comments on the chickens. I have company and have limited time but I do appreciate you coming by and wish you all a wonderful weekend and happy St. Patrick's Day!
This is a cute post. It made our whole family laugh!
Hi Betty,
Thanks for the comment on my blog...glad you like it.
Take care.
Alison.
What a lovely place. Chickens are better than having moles...or deer...or rabbits...or squirrels. I bet you could follow them around and steal their eggs. Sis 3
Oh, too funny. Where we are stationed, we have something that we have nicknamed...Chucks. It's a mix between a chicken and a duck, very strange looking. They do the same thing, walking wherever and wandering up into whatever. Most people stop for them in the road, but I have seen some that weren't so fortunate. Whenever I go back, I'll have to get pictures!
Oh, too funny. Where we are stationed, we have something that we have nicknamed...Chucks. It's a mix between a chicken and a duck, very strange looking. They do the same thing, walking wherever and wandering up into whatever. Most people stop for them in the road, but I have seen some that weren't so fortunate. Whenever I go back, I'll have to get pictures!
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