OAKLAND (AP) — Roosters in the small central Maine town of Oakland are free to crow as loud as they like.

The Town Council tabled a proposal that would have levied fines as high as $100 on the owners of loud roosters.

The Morning Sentinel (http://bit.ly/1boAYCa ) reported that a dozen residents of the town of about 6,200 showed up at the council meeting to oppose the ordinance.

Ethan Pullen said some people like to breed chickens to show at agricultural fairs, and to breed chickens, you need a rooster.

Town Manager Peter Nielsen said the proposal was sparked mostly by the concerns of one resident, who complained about a neighbor’s four loud roosters. The neighbor has since given three roosters away, which Nielsen says appears to have solved the problem.