Ybor Chickens – About

Several hundred fowl reside in the Historic District of Ybor City and remain an intact piece of Tampa Bay history. Believed to have roamed the streets since the time of the Great Depression, the current flocks of Ybor Chickens are rumored to be descendants from the chickens of immigrants who lost everything nearly 100 years ago. When hand-rolled cigars were deemed no longer a necessity, workers started farming in their own backyards, building crops and raising livestock to make ends meet. Surprisingly, this lineage of chickens survived all of these years and have continued to successfully raise their flocks among the streets of Historic Ybor City.

No stranger to people, these feral birds have no problem walking right in front of you to get to where they want to go. Roosters frequently make their presence known. Loud and proud, these birds strut their stuff and are as dominant as they come. Mother hens tending to their baby chicks is also a very common sighting. For those who live and work in Ybor, it is a joy to watch each group of new baby chicks blossom into a whole new generation of these now historic Ybor Chickens.

Ybor Chickens are here to stay. Protected by many local residents, these flocks are not simply surviving. They are thriving. Historic Ybor has embraced their quirky, winged neighbors. Locals regularly keep feed on hand to throw out to their favorite flocks, and visitors and residents alike are seen protecting chicks as they trail after their mothers across the busy streets each day.

Your S3 Media team has decided it is time to make our beloved chicken friends the unofficial city mascot. Based in the heart of Ybor’s historic district, we have grown to admire these animals and felt they deserved to finally get the recognition they deserve.

Here, we will post Ybor Chickens updates on our new blog, complete with pictures of new sightings, progress on the growth of new baby chicks and more. We also encourage you to send us your photos and stories involving any chickens you spot and come across by heading over to our Spot a Chicken page.

Because Ybor City is so rich in history, culture, cuisine and nightlife and frequently hosts special events and festivals throughout the year, we will also provide updates on local events and provide additional historical information relevant to our favorite city. Feel free to view our Gallery now for images of Ybor Chickens, Ybor City events and more.

Happy clucking!