Cockle is our rooster. He thought he was the top dog in the chicken coop and he was. He let the other rooster know that and the chickens and goats. He even tried to let me know that by coming after me and trying to attack me. Especially when my back was turned. I smacked him a couple of times and he'd leave me alone for awhile then be back at it. I went out to the chicken coop one Sunday morning and noticed him limping. I tried to catch him to help him but he wouldn't have anything to do with me. He ran and wound up hurting himself even worse. I left him alone and he was able to get himself into the coop. Monday he just stayed in the coop. Tuesday morning he was in the coop but a couple of hours later I went out to check on him and he wasn't in the coop so I looked for him and found him cowering in a corner of the pen with his comb bleeding. By that time he let me help him. I picked him up and got him cleaned up. I set him up a space in my garden shed so he could heal.
I got to thinking about the other chickens and how ruthless they were when they noticed that one of their own was hurt that they turned on him. I was thinking about the whole situation and realized that the rooster in the first place wouldn't except the help that I was reaching out to give to him. He wouldn't accept my help until he was at rock bottom. We as people do the same thing. We run from what or who could help us because we think we don't need help. We think we can get along in this world and can be cocky about it. That is until trials come upon us and we are humbled. Cockle let me help him. It's been 4 weeks and his comb is almost all healed. He still limps, I carry him outside to the front yard and he eats out of my hand. That's a big change from trying to attack me.
Cockle hops on one leg.
Bread is a favorite treat for our chickens.
The back of his comb is still healing.
He can still be feisty. Ruby was eating the bread off the ground that I dropped and this picture is taken right before Cockle pecks Ruby on the head for getting to close. I have to admit that roosters and chicken in general are not very cute.
It was getting so hot in the garden shed during the day I move him out to the front yard. I have a little fence fixed in the flower bed. I can't believe I'm doing this for this rooster but I felt so sorry for him when I saw him cowering in the corner bleeding. I don't put the umbrella up very often. I put him in with the other chickens once to see how it would go and they starting pecking at the sore on his comb. I'll try again when that's all healed. I pray he starts using his other leg again.
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