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The Streets Are Filled With Fowl In Bastrop

"The people on the buses go oh there's one, there's one," said Councilwoman Kay Garcia McAnally.

    The chicken and rooster population is booming.  Some people feel the farm animals have more rights than they do.  It's happening near highway 95 and Farm Street.
   
 "There are grey hens and roundheads," said Mary Jane Campos.

    And toppers and even some former fighting roosters.  Campos knows the make and model of every feathered fowl on Farm Street and she should know.  Campos is a big part of the reason they're here.

"My dad got into fighting roosters and fighting cocks and he raised them in the backyard," said Campos.

    That was a longtime ago.  Today, the birds are enjoying retirement -- granted amnesty so to speak.

"This is our little slice of America," added McAnally.

    McAnally is their biggest human advocate.  She drafted an ordinance protecting the city's fowl after several of them were run over and killed.

"They cannot be harassed by the police, they can't be harassed by individuals," said Mayor Terry Orr.

    Orr calls them the talk of the town.

"Why did the chicken cross the road?  Well it gave the city council something to talk about," joked Orr.

    But the chickens are ruffling some feathers.  One neighbor claims the noisy fowl wake him up several times a night.  He'll have to move, since the chickens have every right to stay.