100 Cocks Caught in Big Bust

Bradford Magpiong has been charged with 97 violations of county cockfighting laws by San Mateo officers who found around 150 birds in multiple coops and vehicles on his Pescadero property.

Syringes, gaffs and other cockfighting paraphernalia were found along with the gross of angry roosters.

With both nurtured and natural ill-tempers, the combative chickens are considered unfit for adoption, and 97 were euthanized -- each counting as a charge against Magpiong.

This is the third such caper recently exposed by area law enforcement.

Oakland police arrested 69 and seized a similar number of roosters along with cash and drugs during a weekend raid at the end of February.

Last Friday, Sonoma County Sheriff's deputies arrested 43 people at a Santa Rosa residence with two cockpits, also netting around 100 chickens.

Seems like only yesterday reports of pit bull fights appeared regularly. With bird battles now in the spotlight, the smart money is on compulsive gamblers to move on once more. Are those caged crickets I hear chirping?

Jackson West wonders if the the loser is breaded and fried, or just goes to waste.