On our farm, we have twenty egg laying hens and five game chickens that free range. Although Easter egg hunts are fun, hunting eggs every day gets old, so we shut the egg layers up in the chicken yard. We left our game rooster and his four hens turned out to keep the stalls “turned over” and the bug population down. As my husband introduced the new Lavender rooster to our egg laying girls, he said “Now make sure to keep this door closed so the roosters don’t get together”.
Several days later, I was surprised to see my egg laying girls out pecking around under the pine trees. “How did you girls get out?” My heart sank as I remembered the roosters. Through the unlatched, open door, I saw my shiny red game rooster crouched in the corner with his head down. The new Lavender rooster was out in the chicken yard with a few battle scars but he was up and walking. “I bet you wish you hadn’t picked a fight,” I said. I winced as I looked at the bloody, quivering rooster. I held him close to my chest, knowing that he was likely going to die. “Hang on buddy, I am going to put you in a warm, safe place”. As I placed him on on the soft hay and closed the door of the shed, I expected it to be the last time that I would see the pretty red rooster who was raised on our farm alive.
“The roosters got together and I don’t the game is going to live. Could you please go look and see if you need to put him out of his misery?” I asked my husband. I don’t know much about chickens, so I was relived when my husband said, “roosters are tough, I think he’ll make it.”
As I reluctantly opened the door of the hay shed the next morning, I was surprised to see the shiny red rooster was still alive. His head was in terrible shape, but he could stand which was an improvement. He was blind as he had covered his eyes with a protective membrane, but the trauma had caused the membranes to scab over, so his eyes were literally sealed shut. Over the next 5 days, I carried Red (he now had a name), around with me as I did my chores. Although he couldn’t see, I knew he could feel the sunshine and hear the hustle and bustle of farm life that he was accustomed to. I hoped it would lift his spirits, but it wasn’t really working.
“How long can a rooster live without eating?” I asked my husband. “I put food right up to his mouth but he won’t eat. He is barely drinking either.” “He’ll eat and drink enough to live. Don’t worry, he made it this far, he’ll pull through”.
Again, I had my doubts, because he seemed so depressed. “Red Rooster, I have a surprise for you. I am going to give you some company today”. I dug out a wire dog cage and filled it with hay and I put my sad little blind rooster inside the protective cage. I then placed the cage inside a pen full of pullets (1/2 grown chicks).
As the young birds surrounded the cage, the transformation that took place in front of my eyes was nothing short of miraculous. The crest fallen rooster, stood up straight. He puffed out his feathers and he crowed! By then end of the day he was gobbling his food and his eyes that had been crusted closed were mostly open.
What an important lesson for us all! Contact with others is so important! Isolation can be deadly. So reach out those who are alone, or who seem to be withdrawn. We are called to be the hands and feet of Christ. We may not be able to turn water into wine, but we may be able to bring healing (and even life) to those who are suffering from depression caused by isolation.
Matthew 25; 35-36, 40 (NKJV)
35-36: for I was hungry and you gave Me food; I was thirsty and you gave Me drink; I was a stranger and you took Me in; I was naked and you clothed Me; I was sick and you visited Me; I was in prison and you came to Me.’
40: And the King will answer and say to them, ‘Assuredly, I say to you, inasmuch as you did it to one of the least of these My brethren, you did it to Me.’
We can learn so much from watching what God shows us through His creations. I hope this rooster will remind us to never take the power of our presence for granted. I hope we all take the opportunity to be a blessing to others!