Many people seem to anchor their objection to backyard domestic hens based on their experiences in Key West, Florida, where feral chickens are common. Some visitors find these wild birds to be part of Key West's quirky charm and character -- one of the city's best known restaurants, Blue Heaven, is famous for the chickens roaming about.
Other people, including one County Commissioner, apparently find the feral chickens presence and behavior alarming or disturbing. As a result, the Key West feral chicken situation is frequently cited as either an inevitable or plausible result of what would happen if were to allow backyard chickens in our county. But that sky-is-falling, worst case scenario is not likely and unsubstantiated claims such as this reflect both the ignorance and discrimination backyard chickens face.