The Roosters and Chickens of Key West
Sunday, May 6, 2018
Clear, 92°
“It’s not what you look at that matters. It’s what you see.” – Henry David Thoreau
Back in Helen, Georgia my neighbor Jim has chickens that lay great eggs and used to wander the farm until the coyote came and killed several of them. Now they stay within the confines of the coop. He had this one banty rooster who was pretty to look at with black, brown, and gold feathers but I think he was once a fighter because he would walk around like he was the cock of the block. Once you turned your back on him, this crazy rooster would stealth attack you by flying up behind you, extending his talons to hit you in the legs or back. He was vicious and gave me more than one cut or bruise before Jim finally got rid of him. I thought we should make dinner out of him but Jim thought he was a tough old bird and wouldn’t make a good meal. We took him to a livestock auction house nearby but there are now laws that you cannot auction them anymore so we gave him to someone who was looking to buy a couple of goats.
One of the things that give Key West its charm is the free spirit of everyone living here. Acceptance of everyone seems to be the main theme here as all walks of life can be who they are without any conflicts or negative tones from anyone. It’s refreshing to see. That cannot be said of the rooster/chicken population.
There are the many, too many chickens and roosters roaming everywhere in Key West. You will love ‘em or hate ‘em, the island’s colorful chickens are an iconic part of Key West. Whether you’re on the beach or roaming around Old Town, it won’t be long before you encounter them. Some Conchs (locals) love the chickens. They believe they make Key West the unique destination that it is and part of the Old Key West that everyone talks about. Other Conchs hate them, saying they’re unsanitary and a nuisance. After all, the roosters do crow at all hours, and not just at the crack of dawn. In fact, the island is so divided over the existence of the animals that a “chicken war” broke out over 15 years ago. And it’s still going on.
The chickens are such a source of contention on the island because of their long history in Key West, the majority of the chickens arriving in the 1800's. The story goes that Cuban settlers brought the chickens to the island, not only as a source of food, but also for sport. While hens were prized for their eggs, the roosters were prized for their cockfighting, making for good back-alley entertainment.
All was fine and dandy until cockfighting was outlawed in Key West in the 1970's, leaving many roosters without purpose and set to aimlessly roam the streets. Without much to do, the chickens kept breeding – so much so that the chicken population was considered out of hand by the mid-2000's. In fact, there were so many that the chickens were spreading to the other nearby Keys. Not surprisingly, it was around this time that the Chicken War broke out.
So while locals argue whether the chickens should stay on Key West, the animals roam free, living the good life, eating from local restaurants, soaking up the sun, and meeting tourists. The gypsy chickens are all over Key West, yet they do tend to congregate in certain places more than others – especially in the restaurant Blue Heaven. Along with the cats, the chickens here rule the roost. Blue Heaven is a great place to eat and known specifically for their key lime pie. Just know that if you come here, you’ll probably have to share with the island’s two-legged friends.
Wandering around today they seemed to pop out from behind the bushes, standing on fences and walls, or even a few were hunkered down nesting their young just off the sidewalk. They happily walked down Duvall Street along the shops, restaurants, and bars. There were a couple milling around by the Southernmost Point in the USA buoy as tourists took photos of the buoy. Around the corner at the beach, they were walking around the sand while “tourists covered with oil” lay on the beach getting tanned. Several were around Mallory Square. One banty rooster was standing on a wall, so I walked closer to get a photo of his leg spurs. He proudly strutted over closer and slightly turned to allow a photo like he knew that I was taking a picture of his spurs. It was weird but not the strangest things seen in this tropical paradise.
If you come to Key West you will not miss the roosters and chickens all over town as they are not bothered by the people and some seem to enjoy the attention from the tourists.
*More photos on the Facebook Traveling Life's Highways page.