Ybor chickens are as much a part of the neighborhood as red brick buildings and the smell of rolled tobacco.
But some residents fear the famous chickens and roosters are under siege.
Currently there are rules protecting the chickens: Tampa's Bird Sanctuary Law (Art. IV Sec. 14-176) prevents the removal, even temporarily, of any of Tampa's living, wild chickens.
Is that rule being threatened? Some say yes.
Under the name "Ybor Chickens Society," some residents of Ybor City are petitioning to keep protections for the chickens.
"A new proposal by a local neighbor of mine and some others has been set into motion to revoke this law in attempt to move all the chickens out of the city in a potentially harmful way," explains Dylan Breese, creator of the Ybor Chickens Society. "They claim the chickens affect their way of life due to noise ordinances and are a nuisance to our community."
Since just the beginning of March, Breese has now collected over 1,100 signatures, some anonymous signees, in support for his chicken protection campaign.
The growing chicken population was discussed during a recent Ybor City Development Corporation (YCDC) meeting.
Some residents were hoping that "natural attrition," like hawks, would help limit the population, but some believe that hasn't been enough. Strategies to limit the population growth, like relocating some chickens, was discussed at the meeting, according to notes taken during the meeting by the YCDC.
"Another suggestion was to explore neutering roosters to control the population, like how the feral cat population is addressed," says the YCDC.
No decision was reached during the meeting, says the YCDC manager Courtney Orr.
The problem, some residents say, is that non-Ybor chickens have been dumped into the neighborhood.
Breese estimates there are about 200 Ybor chickens.
If you're like to learn more about Breese and his petition you can click HERE.
