At Apricot Lane Farms in California, there is a unique rooster named Poodle Roo who prefers to roost in open farm fields rather than in the security of a warm coop.
Every night Poodle would routinely escape from the coop, and the farmers would search for the lonely rooster. The farmers were anxious as they were unable to find the reason behind his strange behavior.
“Roosters are meant to be the confident protectors of the flock, but no rooster is a match for what lurks at night,” farm owner John Chester said.
A few months later, the farmers Poodle Roo back to the coop, while the other chickens were roosting. That night they finally found out the reason behind why Poodle Roo avoids sleeping in the chicken coop.
The poodle was brutally attacked by the rest of the roosters. They saw him covered in blood and finally, got the answer to their question. Poodle Roo almost died. The farmers regretted their decision.
During the healing process, they found out that Poodle Roo was partially blind and deaf.
Thankfully, Poodle Roo recovered quickly.
“He healed remarkably fast,”
“In the mind of this defenseless creature, sleeping alone in the pasture was the safer option,” Chester says.
Then, they decided to keep him in the barn, where other animals would stay for brief illnesses or injuries.
“We started to notice that Poodle would remain by their side, every limping step. He would show them all the hot spots, like the hay barn to feed on the dropped seeds or the compost trailer for food scraps.” Chester says.
Poodle Roo even befriended a lonely barn cat.
“He knew what it was like to feel beat up and alone. But he didn’t let that turn him bitter. He used it to make himself better. He went far beyond what one would expect from a partially blind and deaf little rooster. On Apricot Lane Farms, Poodle Roo has become the barn nurse.” Chester says of the kind rooster.