Bastrop, Tx–A flock of wild chickens which have roamed freely for decades through a quiet city neighborhood along Farm Street between Texas 95 and Mina Elementary School are now protected from official disturbance under the municipal animal control law following action Tuesday by the city council.
The unanimous council vote added the Farm Street flock to a previously protected group of wild ducks and geese which inhabit the city’s Fisherman’s Park at the far western end of Farm Street. Otherwise the Bastrop animal control law forbids domestic animals–except cats–from roaming away for an owner’s property.
The Farm Street neighborhood protested loudly and halted a planned chicken roundup in the area after one property owner complained about the flock’s untidy habits to city animal control enforcers. After hearing the neighbors’ defense of the free-roaming fowl–they enjoy the feral birds which nobody owns–the council vowed to revise the city regulations.
Hence the council vote on Tuesday.