I feel sort of silly posting this, what with recent bad news certainly overshadowing it, but I found my house rooster, Jack, dead on the sofa this morning. He was still warm, but gone. My silly, special needs WCB Polish boy would surely have died months ago had I not brought him into the house permanently, after the third time he suffered crest and head pecking damage, so he had some very special time with me, but I didn't think he would die with so little warning.
He was a little off last night, holding his wings away from his body as he perched on the back on the sofa. He also wanted to snuggle right against my body. I brought him a cup of water and he drank quite a bit, eagerly.
He has never shown all that much energy (except when crowing!) and his movements have always been measured and deliberate, due to his blind eye. He never ran or scampered anywhere, the two pullets often ran past him and he'd start turning circles as if the girls' passing had enough force to whirl him around like some cartoon scene. I had to encourage him to jump up on the sofa and he always clawed /climbed up my torso or the arm of the sofa to get to the sofa back. So, he's never been "right" - I just didn't expect to find him dead.
I could always tell it was Jack walking around - laminate floors - and his steps sounded like he stomped everywhere, carefully placing his feet for each step. He stopped frequently, as if to rest in his explorations.
I am so sad. Quivery lip sad, leaky eyes. I wrapped him in a t-shirt but am not ready to bury him
yet. He was a big lunk of feathered, trusting company.
