This week the boys had to be back in Georgia in order to take the CRCT testing. Our assigned test-taking site is in a small little town called Fitzgerald. I never knew there was such a town in Georgia until this week. This is the most curious and bewildering little town by far that we have ever been in. This is definitely a little country town. It’s so far out in the country my phone keeps flashing “No Service”. They have no AT & T cell phone towers here. I now do not believe the AT& T commercial when it states “More Bars in More Places”. This town has NO BARS!!

Ok, so if the no bars did not bewilder us the chicken running through the streets sure did. Yes, I said chickens ! Come to find out, this town is know for it’s wild chickens. “Fresh Chicken” ,on the KFC sign has a whole new meaning in this town.

Back in the 1960’s, the Georgia Department of Natural Resources stocked Burmese chickens all over the state as an additional game bird to be hunted like pheasant or quail. Flocks of chicks were released several miles from Fitzgerald at the Ocmulgee River. Populations of the bird never took hold in other parts of the state, but for some reason, they left the river site and made their way to downtown Fitzgerald, where they have propagated and prospered ever since. Fitzgerald residents have a love/hate relationship with these wild birds. Some folks buy seed and feed them regularly, while others chase them out of their yard and gardens. An annual festival celebrates these unique residents called The wild Chicken Festival held in the downtown area during the 3rd weekend of March.

Every town needs to be known for something, so why not chickens. The boys finally caught them a baby chicken. No they are not keeping it. These are wild chickens not pets!!