Rosie's new/old home

Our sweet, funny, Rosie the Rooster has gone back to where he came from....Okay, he did not die. We took back to B&Ps where we got him from. We so would have loved to have kept him. Other than Lucy, he was one of the most friendly and cuddly chickens I have ever seen.
Our neighbours have been very patient but finally expressed their desire to hear Rosie's vocalizations as bubbles in the stew pot rather than an announcement of the forthcoming day.

So to protect Rosie from that fate for the immediate time being (although I cannot prevent a stew pot in Rosie's distant future at the farm), we took him to live with his 'family of origin'.

It was heartbreaking. He sat comfortably and quietly in the carrier as we drove to B&Ps. When we arrived, the kids said their good-byes, and I removed him from the cage. He stood stock still staring at me in disbelief. I apologized to him for the abrupt departure from his little harem and wished him well.

Suddenly, he turned heel and ran in the other direction. Thinking that he had accepted my apology and was ready for his new life, I stood up and turned to see the actual reason for Rosie's hasty departure.
SWEET LORD!!!! It's a bloody, fucking turkey!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! And a horrifyingly scary/ugly/beautiful/shocking one!

I was actually kind of freaked out myself but I couldn't stop taking pictures of his 'snood' (Thanks, Krista). The stinking turkey followed me around the yard with his plumage all puffed up in a menacing pose. I am definitely not one to mess with a turkey...at least anymore.

I was about to leave when I spotted Rosie attempting to follow me to the van.

His attempts to come for another road trip were thwarted by this small roostery devil. I didn't know if I should intervene as I know that chickens need to establish a heirarchy and I wanted to be there if Rosie needed help. (God, I am a loser. And yes, I have trouble watching nature shows as I can never handle it when the sweet little meercats get dismembered by the evil hawks, etc.)

But Rosie the Rooster held his own and chased the little devil away. No one got hurt in the filming of these photos either. I promise.

Anyhow, I was just beginning to wonder if that horrifying spectacle of a turkey was what the evil 'Noel' had morphed into when I found her, staring at me with her angry turkey eyes. So she wasn't a 'tom'. She was just a bitch. I left for the van, followed by Rosie, followed by the turkeys and drove away wishing poor Rosie well. I hope he continues to hold his own. He is such a sweetie and we will missed his morning announcements.
Just in case you missed it.......

It's called a 'snood'.......