The colorful, free-roaming Key West "Gypsy" chicken is at the center of a debate that often pits neighbor against neighbor. The "Chicken Wars" are fought by those who enjoy the birds and believe they belong in Key West, versus those who consider them a nuisance and a danger to human health and the ecosystem.
The Origin of the Key West Gypsy Chicken
Though it is thought that these birds have been in Key West for over 175 years, their numbers certainly grew in the 1950s, when thousands of Cubans fled the Revolution and came to Key West to support a booming cigar industry. These Cubans brought their chickens with them. The birds were used for meat and eggs, but the roosters were especially prized for their beauty and prowess for cockfighting. Over time, many birds escaped their enclosures, or were "released" by owners no longer interested in maintaining chickens once eggs and poultry became readily available in local markets. With few predators on the island (except hawks and feral cats) the "wild" chickens thrived on a diet of native insects and lizards. Several generations later, these birds still roam freely throughout the island.
Characteristics of the Key West "Gypsy" Chicken
These scrappy birds are completely self-sufficient, though they will happily accept hand-outs or castaways from humans. They eat just about anything, but most often scratch in the dirt for bugs and worms. They are smaller and more colorful than chickens bred for meat and egg production. It is rumored that the meat of a Key West chicken is very tough and gamey, though the small eggs are tasty. They are surprisingly good fliers, and roost in trees at night. The roosters are famously territorial, and often fight violently amongst themselves. Mother hens are protective of their eggs and chicks, and breed prolifically year-round.
The Controversy
The chickens are considered an invasive species, who feast on native insects and lizards and destroy indigenous plants. They are slowly spreading up the Keys, and have been found as far up as Marathon Key. Many locals complain that the birds scratch up their yards, poop on their cars, and crow loudly outside their windows. On the other hand, the chickens may keep the local cockroach and scorpion populations under control. Smaller chickens serve as prey for local hawks and falcons, and the eggs feed Key West's raccoons. There is also no denying that tourism, which is the major industry of Key West, has benefited from the presence of these amusing birds.
Key West's city government, beset by calls from disgruntled locals, have tried several times to "downsize" the chicken population. In 2004, the city hired local man Barber Parra to serve as "chicken catcher." The birds were supposed to be "relocated" to a free-range farm in Miami-Dade. Amid speculation that the birds were secretly killed, local pro-chicken factions began tampering with traps and Parra was dropped from the city payroll. In 2008, Assistant City Manager John Jones made some comments to the local paper urging fed-up locals to "humanely" break the chickens' necks, outraging animal lovers.
The Current Solution
The City has formed a symbiotic relationship with the Key West Wildlife Center. In exchange for financial aid, the KWWC, which aids in the rescue and rehabilitation of local birds and other wildlife, serves as a holding center for "nuisance" Gypsy chickens that have been trapped and brought in (traps can be borrowed from the Center for a deposit.) The birds are adopted out to people outside of the Keys, who must sign an agreement stating that the birds are for pets not meat. Adopted chickens come with a signed letter from the City Mayor attesting to their authentic breeding as "Key West Gypsy Chickens."
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