Since Hurricane Katrina, Ruby Melton's 9th Ward enclave has welcomed a new species of neighbor: clucking, crowing, prancing chickens that dart across streets and nest in the trees.
"We don't have stray dogs any more," said Melton, 68. "But everyone I talk to has stray chickens."
Most people figure that the wild birds descended from domesticated fowl that escaped backyard coops after the storm. Since then, the population has boomed, with the local SPCA chapter now dispatching officers weekly to catch feral chickens, spokeswoman Katherine LeBlanc said.
There were two photographs accompanying the article. The first ran on the front page. Note the caption.
Never mind that bit about getting to the other side. It's the fact that we are looking at a "7th Ward Rooster" in this photo that raises the most questions. For example, one wonders which label "7th Ward Rooster" records with. Did he ever feud with Messy Mya on Youtube? What happens when 7th Ward Rooster meets 14th Ward Coyote? Can't go well for the rooster, even if he does have large talons. Surely the thug life must be fraught with hazards when you're a chicken.
As if to drive the point home, the T-P also saw fit to run this photo of "7th Ward" fowl suspiciously fleeing what appears to be a murder scene in the background raising even more questions about the Monday edition of our big city paper. Even if you are going with a "wacky slice-of-life" story, do you really need the murder scene photo? And while we're at it, what is 7th Ward Rooster even doing on the front page (albeit below the fold) in the first place? Was there nothing more pressing than loose chickens to report on this morning? Actually don't answer that one.
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