Mystery Solved

It is almost dark now and I am tired and worn

Nugget has gone missing. Nugget was somewhat of an icon around here. He was a very special breed of rooster called an “Easter Egger”. He was a gorgeous white and gray color with feathered feet. He was quite a sight to behold but, the truth is: he terrorized us. Nugget was fearless when it came to defending his hens and he took his responsibility very seriously. You had better tread lightly when he was in the vicinity or he would chase you down, jump at your legs and then flog you with his wings. It didn’t matter that you weren’t trying to intrude on his space or get near his hens.

Nugget with his women

If he decided you needed a reminder what his job was, he charged. I tried every method to let him know that was not acceptable behaviour. I armed myself with brooms, trash can lids which I used as a shield, the garden hose and numerous other weapons to fend him off. I kicked, shouted, clapped and banged. I finally figured out that the battle ended alot quicker if I didn’t fight back. If I just stood still and let him come at me, he would make one lunge and then quit, waddling off looking real proud of himself. I have to admit, I cussed that rooster more than once. Another part of me admired him for his bravery. He wasn’t always that aggressive. In fact he was hand raised and handled until he was about 6 months old. It all changed when he learned to crow and he was ready to take on the world once those hens started laying his eggs.  Every evening he gathered his girls and returned to the pen where I would shut them in for the night to protect them from predators. So, you can understand why I got concerned when I couldn’t find him that afternoon. He was nowhere to be found. The only clue was a few of his feathers left in the barn. I searched for two days and listened every morning, hoping to hear his wake up call. Then I decided to take my colt for a long walk as a lesson in leading and being separated from the rest of the herd. While in the far field, I saw the neighbor out working in the yard and his two dogs started barking at me. I mentioned that I was on a quest to find out what had happened to my rooster when he got a sheepish look on his face. He confessed that his dogs had stolen poor Nugget and carried him home. Nugget was still alive and clucking when they ran up to him. He shouted to “Drop it” and the dog did, only to pounce on it again when Nuggett took off running. thus ending his short existence. I have to admit a part of me feels sad to lose him even if he did take a particular pleasure in intimidating me. It had turned into an on-going battle of the wits between us. He was special and beautiful even if he was a tyrant. The other (smaller) part of me is sighing in relief. One thing is sure, I won’t be forgetting Nugget.