Bastrop City Council puts end to Farm Street Chicken Sanctuary

Tuesday, Bastrop City Council voted to repeal an ordinance that established a chicken sanctuary. 

There’s no shortage of wild chickens in Bastrop. 

“Little chicken running here, running there, and that was just so cool,” said Troy Brown who moved to the city three years ago. 

In fact, one of Bastrop’s quirks is on Farm Street between the railroad tracks and State Highway 95. It was designated a chicken sanctuary in 2009. 

“You’ll see the banners that say ‘chicken sanctuary’ and you’ll find the chickens running back and forth across the street,” said Bastrop Animal Control Officer Troy Walters.  

Eventually several of the chickens migrated out of the sanctuary and multiplied. People who live outside of the sanctuary started complaining. 

“They make noise all day and all night,” said Joely Easterly who also lives in Bastrop.  

Still, many people in town balked at the idea of getting rid of the sanctuary. 

“It’s just part of history. Farm Street, that’s their street and all right in this area, as well. This is their home. It would be like trying to get rid of us and our home,” said Hope Rodriguez who grew up in Bastrop. 

The City of Bastrop tried trapping and relocating as many of the birds outside of the sanctuary as possible, but it proved to be a much larger undertaking than they realized. 

“It’s gonna be hard to catch them all,” Walters said.  

City Council took the issue back to the drawing board and ultimately decided it was time to crack down on the wild Farm Street chickens. 

Tuesday, Council voted to repeal the ordinance that established a sanctuary there. 

“The City Council made it clear we’re not going to be in the zoo industry,” said Walters. 

Just like that, one of the novelties of the little town was gone.  

“That was one of the best things about Bastrop,” Brown said. 

Bastrop Animal Control said there will be a multi-year project to capture and relocate all of the wild chickens. 

Anyone who wishes to adopt one of the birds can contact the City to be added to a list.