What can you do with a foul fowl?

I hope everyone had a wonderful Thanksgiving. Our family enjoyed feasting and being together. Of course, we reminisced about times past and pets we have had. My son was always bringing home some stray: kitty, dog, turtle, bird, hermit crab, lizard and the list goes on. We had a good laugh over some of the situations. I thought he had outgrown this habit when he established his own family. Boy, was I mistaken. His wife spoke up and said, “He still brings strays home. Didn’t he tell you about Big Red?”

No, I hadn’t heard this story so I was all ears.

One afternoon on the way home from work, my son saw an animal walking down the middle of the road. When he stopped to check it out, he could see it was a chicken and a big one at that. He couldn’t allow it to be run over, so he took it home.

The chicken was actually a rooster and not a very nice rooster. My grandson named him Big Red. Big Red was an early riser and his clear, loud cock-a-doodle-doo rang throughout the neighborhood. But to put it mildly, it got old.

Big Red quickly established a pecking order. Unfortunately, my grandson was the one who got the pecking. Turns out that Big Red was a big bully rooster. One afternoon he cornered my grandson and was about to give him a good pecking when grandpa happened to come by. Needless to say Big Red was given the boot. It was then everyone realized why Big Red was found wandering on the road.

So where do you take a foul fowl? My son was able to find a farmer down the road to adopt Big Red, but who else takes birds? I checked with CAPS personnel and they suggested Facebook or Fallon Swap.

In other news, I received a phone call from my brother and his family. I talked to everyone, but the conversation with my niece, September, was most memorable. She told me about her new pet named Chicken (first name), Noodle (middle name), Soup (last name). Chicken is a chicken and she has a cage in the house. She sleeps in September’s room. So there is a fowl story with a happy ending. Hopefully, Chicken doesn’t act like Big Red, or she might become her name-sake “chicken noodle soup.”

CAPS News and Events:

Flower Tree Nursery is raffling a 20-gallon Colorado blue spruce for the holidays. Raffle tickets are available at Flower Tree, and they are $1 for one ticket and $5 for six tickets. Be sure to get your tickets soon. The drawing will be held on December 15, and the winner doesn’t have to be present to win.

On Dec. 20 CAPS will be at Walmart. We have the mistletoe all ready at the “Kissin’ Booth.” Ki, the all-time “King of Pucker,” will be there to make your holidays sweeter. Become part of Ki’s fan club.

CAPS T-shirts, caps and other gifts will be available. Check them out.

The 2015 CAPS calendars are ready to be purchased. You may get other calendars but CAPS is special because all of the money raised supports the care of animals. Be sure to get one for all of your pet- loving friends. Pick up your copy for only $10 at Mutts Etc., The Uncommon Thread, Flower Tree or 3-Dimension Shipping.

As Christmas approaches, instead of giving yet another tie or sweater to your loved one, consider giving a donation to CAPS in their name. It truly is a gift that keeps on giving for life.

On Saturday you can see “Grumpy Cat’s Worst Christmas Ever” on Lifetime at 8 p.m.

Also, please visit the CAPS website (www.capsnv.org) and Facebook page (Churchill Animal Protection Society). Be sure to “Like” CAPS on Facebook because we are really likable.

Do you have questions, comments or a great story? Please contact me at jkwmil@outlook.com.

This week’s article was contributed by Kathleen Williams-Miller, a CAPS volunteer.