Key West Taking Chickens Off Streets

Key West Taking Chickens Off Streets

KEY WEST, Fla. (AP) - Some of this island city's most beloved residents are facing eviction. Key West's city commissioners approved a resolution Tuesday for the removal of free-roaming chickens from city streets and parks and from private property upon request.

The measure doesn't spell out where the chickens will be taken after they're caught; the commission deleted a reference to "aggressive action." But Commissioner Bill Verge said its necessary to remove what he sees as a potential host for diseases and what others simply call a nuisance.

There are roughly 2,000 to 3,000 chickens living in Key West - a city of fewer than 25,000 year-round human residents.

The sight of the birds ambling down Key West's old streets have been common for decades, and their presence is embraced by many residents. The birds join tourists on walks down Duval Street and stop traffic as they cross busy Truman Ave.

Two years ago, the city hired a chicken catcher, but people began freeing birds from their traps and destroying the catcher's equipment. The chicken catcher and the city eventually parted ways after he had collected about 500 birds.

At the meeting Tuesday, Key West Chicken Store owner Katha Sheehan and other residents wore chicken attire and spoke in support of the chickens.

"The roosters are part of the character," Commissioner Jose Menendez said. "I am here to defend the chickens."