a tale of tails, tenacity, and tedium, as told by me, usually barefoot and bellowing

Monday, October 12, 2015

Animals Aren't Human...

sometimes they are far better.

You may remember in August a new nuisance, a small red mixed breed rooster who loved to crow, moved to our front porch.  We tried several things to get him to move on to a more distant place so crowing could be our back ground noise and not our trumpet to wake us EVERY hour of the night.

Nothing worked so we became more tolerant. Rooster stayed.  We soon found out why he was staying close to us.

There is a bad rooster gang (two roosters) here that likes to strut their stuff...like roosters do.  So as with many species of males there is always a contest, who can fight the best, who can crow the loudest and who can rule the roost.

The Gang has intimidated one rooster so badly, he has chosen a life inside the chicken house with the cats.  Our rooster, kindly named Rooster Cogburn by a friend, keeps surviving.

The Rowdy Roosters actively hunt this guy but unkindness is grouped under normal rooster behavior.

One day Hubby saved Rooster from an all out attack by the rogue pair.  Later I notice they were sneaking their way back toward Rooster and big bad Pit Bull Bonnie gently herded the bad guys toward their territory.  It was a site to behold.  Bonnie has never been trained to herd. Like a good farm dog, she recognized a need to protect and gently removed the problem.

Rooster Cogburn is now blind in one eye thanks to these marauders.  He survives.  One day I rescued him from the Randy Rowdies.  RC had tried to escape the inevitable flogging but because of his sight handicap he ran through the spokes of a work cart and could not untangle himself.  The Rat Bastard rooster was pecking him and trying to spur him. I ran the other rooster off and gently extracted RC from his entangled condition.  He immediately put his head under my arm but was shaking uncontrollably.  Despite days and weeks of sleep disturbances, I cuddled and soothed the rooster thinking this could be his final hour.

Once again he surprised me and once again the dogs have surprised me. RC is their pet rooster.  The first night of his last attack, the dogs took turns.  No one left him alone.  First Ki-Anne and Junior lay on the steps below tail to nose keeping a lookout in each direction.  As the night cooled, they left and Squiggie took the night shift.  He shivered and stayed not a foot away from the rooster who needed him.

When I feed the dogs, I leave a pile of food for RC.  You have to show him the pile because he can't see his food but once found he had not lost the ability to peck.

Tonight I checked on him.  This is what I found.
Lizzy on Rooster Protection Detail

While RC can no longer see to fly up to roost he has chosen our porch as his safe haven.  I try to be grateful for the handy supply of fertilizer.  I show him his food by tapping the porch and saying, Chick, chick.  RC is learning quickly.  Tonight he has watermelon as his dinner treat to celebrate his healing.
Ki-Anne shows for her shift
and Squiggie once again mans the night shift.  I do clean the porch every day.  Rooster Cogburn is quite the prolific pooper.

This morning he crowed!  It doesn't sound as intrusive as it once did. RC will not become dumplings as I had planned a month ago.  There is a surprising softness hidden deep with in me that I try not to show too often.

On the other hand I am wondering if I can fit two Rogue roosters in a stew pot.

24 comments:

Gorges Smythe said...

You know what they say about rogue roosters, "they taste just like chickens!"

The Cranky said...

I have a really big pot, in case you need to borrow it.

MadSnapper said...

I vote for RR and dumplings in a big pot. poor little guy. glad he has his own pack of defenders... dogs are so smart.

MadSnapper said...

can you have chickens without a rooster? if so i would have zero roosters. i was attacked by one at age 2 and have a healthy fear of them plus i hate the crowing during the night. i once fantasied for weeks on how to kill our neighbors rooster that crowed all night.

Country Gal said...

Roosters and hens can be very aggressive to one another . I loved this story and the fact that the dogs were protecting him . Lovely photos to . Hope the other roosters get the hint and back off and RC can get some healing going now ! Thanks for sharing , Have a good day !

The Furry Gnome said...

I like your 'surprising softness'.

Lynne said...

Loved this . . .
Stories get me . . . true ones even more . . .
And then when "the family" teams up and is "there" for another . . .
The Best . . .
Who says animals aren't smart . . .

eileeninmd said...

What a story, I am glad RC has his very own doggie protectors. Rogue Rooster stew may taste good. Enjoy your day!

OmaLindasOldeBaggsandStuftShirts said...

Yay for the instincts that your dogs are using. Or maybe I should say feeling. Great story.

Carol Henrichs said...

What a sweet story. Animals are such great subjects. Looks like you have another dog; one with feathers.

Sketching with Dogs said...

Oh, that is so adorable, it really made me smile :)
Lynne x

Susan Kane said...

Time to pluck the rogues and make stew. Mean behavior has a result.
You and your dogs are so kind.

Anonymous said...

Yea! I love this! I was hoping you would do a post on Mr. Cogburn. He survived the ordeal, with the help of your dog pack...and you. Yeah, the critters know you have a soft side...and so do your friends.

Arkansas Patti said...

I love this story and am blown away by your really cool dogs. Wow!! May RC live long and prosper. Rogue stew might just be tasty.

T. Powell Coltrin said...

Wow. that is the best story. I'm linking it somewhere, either on FB or my blog or somewhere. Cool read. Although I love chicken and dumplings, I am glad RC is spared.

Lowcarb team member said...

Oh Gail, this is such a lovely story and your photo's are great too.
Animals are amazing especially your dogs ... I'm so pleased RC is 'ok' and coping with things with you all to help out.

All the best Jan

Cynthia said...

Hooray for the little rooster and the gentle guard dogs! Roosters can be so mean! I, too, vote for the stew pot with chicken and dumplings for dinner.

21 Wits said...

Oh goodness sweet story. There's something about animals that makes our soft side come to life. thank goodness! Love your photos too.

LindaG said...

You can always cook one rogue and freeze one for later!
Your dogs are amazing. Again! What a fantastic, wonderful story, Gail. ♥

Anonymous said...

Poor little guy. I'm glad you and the dogs are looking after him.

Far Side of Fifty said...

Good dogs! :)

Martha said...

I love this story. RC, too. And that surprising softness hidden deep within you that you try not to show too often :)

Sandy Livesay said...

Gail,

It sounds to me as if RC has a permanent home on the porch and in your heart. Time to start the pot of water for those rogue roosters.

gld said...

Great name, Rooster Cogburn.

Good for the dogs! Chickens may qualify as the meanest species on farms. We had a puny one this morning that we locked away from the others so they wouldn't take advantage.

I would eliminate the two evil ones!

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