Georgia town bets on giant bushy chicken to attract tourists

FITZGERALD, Ga. — Why did the tourists cross the road? One south Georgia town hopes it will be to see a giant bushy chicken statue.

Fitzgerald Mayor Jim Puckett told local news outlets the town is building the world’s largest chicken topiary, a 62-foot steel-framed chicken with plants growing on it.

Wild Burmese chickens have long roamed Fitzgerald. Puckett aims to leverage that reputation to draw tourists.

“They want to see chickens, so we’re going to show them a chicken,” he said.

The city is spending $150,000 on the topiary, designed to top the 56-foot tall steel “Big Chicken” at a Kentucky Fried Chicken in Marietta.

Puckett said the Fitzgerald topiary could even include an apartment for overnight rentals and an observation deck. It should be ready by year’s end.