Colourful chickens on display in Mt Barker as part of Bloom Festival and Mountain Country Tourism campaign

Mt Barker is renowned as the home of the free-range chicken, and they appear to be on the loose around town as part of Mountain Country Tourism’s latest campaign to attract visitors.

The artistic attraction is also part of the Bloom Festival, and there are more than 100 painted chickens dotted around the town centre with everyone invited to vote for their top three favourites.

The youngest artists are from Plantagenet Daycare while there have been more than 50 primary school entries and even students from the local college have put their painting skills to the test.

The chicken templates were designed and crafted by the Kendenup Community and Men’s Shed.

The theme for the designs is “flora” while anyone who wants to vote can fill in a form at the Mt Barker IGA.

Sandi Grylls, a board member of Mountain Country Tourism WA, said the art installation was designed to play on the town’s reputation as the home of the chicken, and the humorous television advertisement which shows the birds in the town’s pub, sporting clubs and high street.

“Wherever I travel in Australia, and I say I’m from Mt Barker, everyone knows the chickens,” she said.

“This is just a community event to attract visitors and have a bit of fun.”

Each chicken has either a purple or white tag and voters can pick their favourite three in each colour.

They are on display in the main street and in the shire council’s gardens until October 12 after which votes will be counted and prizes awarded.