This is Henrietta the chicken. She lives in Key West in Florida. She and her hundreds of cousins are protected by a law. You can’t harm her or the family anywhere they go. There are many sign posts telling you it’s a criminal offence to do so. She wanders around the grounds of the swankiest hotels, often with a brood of baby chicks following behind. The slow moving traffic comes to a stop when they cross the street. Tourists stop and point when she passes. Everyone laughs at the side show. So she calms traffic and makes people laugh. What more do you want from a chicken ?
Understanding Colonial St Kitts
In a former British colony, Marilyn learns about its history and explores its beauties
I see a promising future for a certain franchise in Key West. The main ingredient could be harvested from the streets. Could prove very profitable!
Garry — you sure Henrietta isn’t really Henry? That comb and proud tail look rather like a rooster to my eyes. But a rather beautiful bird.
Interesting that they’re protected in Key West, when there are so many. Thanks for sharing this.
If they weren’t protected in Key West they’d be extinct DrF.
Listening to all the American tourists they’d all shot and potted “back home”
Boys and their toys I suppose.
I thought there were only 2 types of Chicken – fresh and frozen !
1 chicken had 8 chicks behind her. That’s how fast they multiply.
Don’t worry, Garry. These chickens are far from being endangered. Their direct relatives (look just like them) are wandering in large numbers all over the Hawaiian islands. Here they are pursued for the pot. But they replenish so quickly that’s not a problem.
Only two kinds of chickens in the UK? — I’d always thought it was roosters and hens. But the concept of fresh and frozen is interesting. Wonderful how those would mate?
Perhaps there are so many BECAUSE they are protected!
Fresh and frozen would mate just the same as any other couple that’s been married for more than 25 years.
Quote from Key West Guide Book
“Luckily, the southernmost city outlawed cockfighting in 1970’s, putting the Cubalaya chickens out of business, and out on the streets of Key West. Domestic chickens on the island were losing their homes at the same time when their owners moved away. Now the roosters & chickens were left to roam free, and nature took its course. So, some forty years later, we now have what we call ‘Gypsy Chickens’. Like in the 1970’s, they are still protected, and make Key West the truly unique place that it is! “
When you were a young boy DrF, were you made to stay back in class when the other kids went on a nature trip ?
Did you ever pick flowers in the park and take them home?
A thing of beauty is a joy forever.