Sheriff's Department spokesman Tim Curran said 60 to 70 men, women and children — some of them clutching roosters — ran away when deputies investigating an anonymous tip showed up Wednesday afternoon at a sprawling rural property cluttered with shacks that contained scores of rooter cages.

As many as 600 birds, all game fowl bred to fight, were found on the property, officers said

One of shacks contained what officers believe was a cockfighting arena bordered by hay bales. Seven roosters were found dead in the shack along with four others that had gaping wounds caused by razor-sharp spurs attached to the birds' legs, officers said.

They also said they found a 55-gallon barrel filed with rooster carcasses that was set on fire as officers arrived.

Seven people were detained. Curran said those who fled left behind about 50 cars that will be used to identify participants and spectators.

Officers said people involved in organizing the fights would face felony cruelty-to-animal charges and misdemeanor cockfighting charges, which would be raised to felonies if the defendants had prior convictions related to cockfighting.

Spectators could face misdemeanor charges, deputies said.

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