Kicker: Fowl neighbors

SOUND: [Rooster crowing]

MYRNA BROWN, HOST: Feathers are quite ruffled in an English village where more than a hundred feral chickens are running around.

Vanessa Taylor lives there:

VANESSA TAYLOR: They originated on an allotment just down here. Many years ago, I think the man died. And they fended for themselves. I just love them. I think they’re beautiful.

Perhaps, but others say the fowl dig up their gardens and are so noisy people have to wear earplugs at night.

This week the town council invited both sides to debate whether to evict the avians.

Paul Stritch sides with the birds:

PAUL STRITCH: If you live in the country, you can’t complain about the smells or the noise. I mean, when you buy a house here, you gotta be blind not to see the chickens.

Haven’t heard whether feathers flew during the debate!

MARY REICHARD, HOST: This is a real peck-le.

BROWN: It’s The World and Everything in It.

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