For any of you following my previous blogs about my foray into backyard chicken farming, you know that I’m trying to find a home for my rooster – an unassuming, cute chick who grew a coxcomb and long tail feathers as s(he) grew, much to our surprise.  I’ve talked to Nature Centers, other backyard chicken enthusiasts, put ads on craigslist, backyard poultry message boards, etc.  While I’ve had two nibbles (even one from North Carolina) – no bites so far.  I have discovered through research that MJ is a rare Lakenvelder rooster – and quite a coveted bird by those who own roosters…. Interested yet?

Well, much to my amusement, two of my neighbors passed along “chicken” articles to me this past weekend.  One was from our backyard neighbor who we don’t know well – and I was quite concerned that MJ may be a little too noisy for her.  On the contrary, she told us she loved hearing the rooster, and doesn’t want us to get rid of it at all.  The article she passed along was about the growing trend to have backyard poultry – an article published in The New Yorker.

My other neighbor gave me an article just published in The Week magazine entitled Eating Arlene.  Arlene the rooster’s owner was in exactly our situation.  Bought some chicks, and one grew into a rooster.  After rationalizing the organic ways of the likes of Michael Pollan (The Omnivore’s Dilemma) and Barbara Kingsolver (Animal, Vegetable, Miracle) – who both raise animals for consumption, this rooster owner decided to sacrifice her bird, and made Chicken Soup a la Arlene.  I must admit my stomach turned when I read the graphic details – I could never imagine doing such a thing.

So back to my neighbor….is she subtly trying to tell me something? She also casually mentioned to me in the last week that she’s thinking of getting a herding dog, and her breeder is concerned that there are chickens next door.  If this dog were ever to get loose, he may just be enjoying MJ Fricassee for dinner.  Imagine, going to the lengths of getting a dog, just to get rid of my rooster.  Obviously she’s hoping that I cook him up first.