The Gentle Rooster
When I was just a child my parents bought me one of the best Christmas gifts they possibly could. They got me chickens and some eggs to hatch! The following spring when they hatched there was one chick that I had my eyes on. It was the one with lots of pretty red, orange, and white feathers. This chick quickly became my favorite. Since my mom said we could only keep hens I decided that this chick was perfect for me to keep. I named her Vanilla Bean-Buttercup. Of course, this was the most fitting name for such a lovely and colorful chicken. Or so my eleven-year-old self thought.
One day after school Vanilla Bean-Buttercup flew up on my shoulder and I brought her inside, where my family was. As I walked past them all, Vanilla Bean-Buttercup let out a big, loud, and very squeaky crow! Everyone gasped to the realization that she was really a he. Immediately I started crying and pleading “Please mom don’t make me get rid of him!”. And thank goodness my mom saw the attachment that ended up lasting nine long years.
Handsome is the name of the rooster that was so dear to me. Not only handsome he was but kind, gentle, and goofy too. As soon as he hatched, he was already on his way to becoming a very fine rooster, and a child's best friend. I say with confidence that Handsome is one of the world’s finest roosters to ever live.
Handsome’s day-to-day life looked like lots of wandering around the yard with his hens, looking for bugs and fruit, and spending some time with my family and I.
He was a very patient chicken. When I sat for long periods of time practicing piano and doing homework, he would just sit on my shoulder without budging. When I was tinkering around the house, he would still remain happily sitting on my shoulder. Never did he get antsy and try to leave my side.
Every now and then I would decide to take Handsome along with me to go somewhere, such as a friend's house or the post office. As we drove around, he would sit on the center console and watch all the different things go by. When we would arrive to our destination, he would give out a little cluck showing he was excited to be doing something. It seemed as though my chicken thought he was a dog! And boy let me tell you, people sure gave Handsome some confused looks while we drove around.
One of the most heartwarming things occurred when the hens would hatch chicks. Whenever the hen would get up off the eggs to go eat and drink, Handsome would sit on the eggs to keep them warm! Once the chicks finally hatched, Handsome would watch them as they walked under him and ran amuck. He never pecked at them or did anything a typical rooster would do, he just let the chicks do as they pleased while watching over them.
Something that made Handsome very popular was his school trips. He would sit on me in all seven classes, and not make a sound nor leave my lap. All the kids loved him, and he was happy to be passed around for everyone to hold. Even the teachers were fond of him. As much as he liked a relaxing school day, he was most excited to get home and reunite with his hens.
Every morning when it was time to feed, all the hens would go wild. While they were pecking away, Handsome would wait for them to finish before he went to eat himself. Randomly in the day as all the chickens were scratching around, when Handsome found something good he would cluck to the hens telling them to come get it. As soon as he would cluck, the hens would come running, and he would step back to let them have whatever it was he found.
When you think of a goofy and touching animal story this is it. A rooster that put his hens first always, took care of chicks with love, accompanied a child daily, was always patient and kind to his hens, and went on numerous adventures that only a dog is thought of to do. Handsome was the world’s kindest, most patient, loving, and gentle rooster.
Handsome is missed every day and I am so grateful I got to have such an experience with such a great rooster. Handsome lived a good nine years, amazing everyone, including myself. Now I get to tell people of his moving story … about how such a simple thing, like a gentle rooster, can have such an impact on us.
