Rocko was a barred bantam cochin, but more importantly, he was my buddy….

Please excuse the poor image quality, this was taken ten years ago. Rocko was a barred bantam cochin, but more importantly, he was my buddy.

He would come running to greet me when I came home from work. This particular day he even flew up to roost on my shoulder. I got great amusement out of watching his little feathered feet fly across the yard every time I went outside, he was very diligent in coming to me for snacks, which I usually had for him.

He survived a dog attack which took more than half our flock, two blizzards, and a twelve hour move to Alabama where he again escaped certain death from a stray dog that took off with him in his mouth. Many thanks to my husband for running up our gravel driveway in his bare feet and a neighbor spooking the dog which caused him to drop Rocko.

He enjoyed hanging out in front of our house in his later years, joined by his friend Monty, who was a mille fleur d’uccle rooster. They would huddle together under our cars during a rainstorm and happily share their favorite treats together under the crepe myrtles.

He lived to be seven, which is a grand age for a bantam rooster. He was a father and then became a grandfather. He passed away the night I went into labor with our twins. He is greatly missed, and I’m thankful I was able to have him in my life. My favorite memory of him will always be his snappy red comb, happy bright eyes, and little feathery feet flying across the yard to greet me.

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