My friend, Linda, had a chicken named Dolly Parton. Dolly grew into a beautiful bird. And somewhere along the line, it became obvious that Dolly needed a name change. So, Dolly then became Kenny Rogers.
Kenny got along great with the girls in his ‘hood’. And there was peace in the chicken kingdom for a while. But as is often the case in such stories, Kenny grew more and more protective of his girls. This isn’t necessarily a bad thing. It’s how roosters tick, after all. But it made the people in Linda’s household nervous.
It started with Kenny just being a bit aggressive and making a statement to the humans who invaded his turf. But then it got a bit out of hand. One of Linda’s nephews (a burly football type guy in his 20’s) went to gather eggs one day and Kenny attacked him. He vowed never to enter the chicken coop again after he emerged with ripped jeans.
From there, it spiraled downward. Kenny threatened and/or attacked anyone who came in the coop. Linda tried to keep a positive outlook. After all, Kenny was just being what he was: A rooster. And a rooster seems to be good for a flock. So, Kenny stayed.
At least for a while.
Kenny’s protected place in the family came to a screeching halt recently when he cornered Linda in the hen house as she gathered eggs one day. With that scare, Kenny’s last advocate turned on him. Linda decided he needed to go. But how would she get him gone? Everyone was scared of him.
Enter Linda’s college age son. As with most college-aged children, this one is in constant need of cash. So, Linda bribed him: $20 to catch Kenny and take him to the local feed store. He agreed, grabbed a container and headed to the coop.
Once in the chicken run, however, said college-aged son started getting weak knees. Kenny himself seemed a bit nervous as well. Where he normally protected his girls, he now cowered among them. I think he knew his time was limited.
Thus began a great episode of Farm Reality TV. Doomed rooster stood in one corner of the chicken run, while college-aged son stood in the opposite corner, both watching the other and waiting for someone to make the first move.
The move that was made, however, surprised everyone…the chickens, the son, and those of us gathered outside to watch the very entertaining drama. It was my SISTER who got fed up with the slow moving stand off. She, drenched and tired of standing in the pouring rain, wanted to see more action. So she took matters into her own hands, flung open the chicken coop door and stomped inside. She grabbed the container and caught the rooster in one well-aimed swoop bringing the show to an abrupt ending.
Off to the feed store Kenny went. He was promised a good home, if he minded his manners. Otherwise, he might end up in the pot of soup.
Good-bye, Kenny. And thanks for such an entertaining departure. I love farm reality TV!
