What do you do with a crying rooster?

What do you do with a crying rooster?

Oh, good! You’re here. I could really use your help. In all my years of farming, I’ve never come across a problem like this before. Let me show you around and explain it all to you.
A couple of days ago I needed a rooster, so I went right into Roosters-R-Us and bought the first rooster I saw off of the clearance shelf, and brought it home. That’s when it all started.
See over here - that’s my pigpen. Would ya look at my pigs? They’re all asleep.
See inside the cow barn? The cows are snoozing the day away. Now how do you get milk out of a sleeping cow?
And look in the chicken coop here. Yep, you guessed it! All of the hens are sleeping too. Why, I haven’t had an egg in two days!
Now where is that rooster? Oh, here she is on her post. This is Rootie. Ever since I brought her home she’s been crying. Sometimes it’s just a little boo-hoo, and other times it’s a loud ba-ha-ha. I can’t figure it out.
Rootie won’t cock-a-doodle-doo when she’s crying, and the animals won’t wake up until they hear her cock-a-doodle-doo. I need you to help me figure out why she is so sad.
What?
You think that I should talk to her?
Well, O.K..
“Rootie, hi.. I am Farmer Cliff and on behalf of all of the animals, I want to welcome you to our farm.”
Through sniffles, Rootie whispers, “Thanks.”
“Uh, I was wondering if you could tell me why you’ve been crying?”
“Do you really want to know?” asked Rootie in a soft voice.
“Oh,yes!” exclaimed Farmer Cliff.
“It’s my throat. It really hurts.” Whispered Rootie.
“It hurts? You must have a sore throat! Come with me.”
I scooped Rootie up and ran to the house. “Mellie,Mellie, Rootie has a sore throat. What can we do?”
“A rooster with a sore throat?” asked Mellie. “Well, I’ll be! I am not sure what we should do. Here, lay her down on the bed while I get some hot tea.”
Mellie took care of Rootie like she was her own daughter. She gave her some lemon tea, some chicken soup, a cough drop and made her gargle some salt water.
Suddenly, Rootie stopped crying. Mellie and I stood looking at her. A small smile crept across Rootie’s face and it got bigger and bigger until she actually started laughing. She got out of bed and started dancing around the room.
“Yee-haw!! I feel great! I feel wonderful! I feel like I could doodle all day.” Rootie ran out of the house right up to her post, and started cock-a doodle-dooing. One by one the animals all woke up. The pigs started eating, the cows started making milk, and the hens started laying eggs. Boy, does Rootie feel good now. Really good. Some days I think she feels too good. She sits on her post all day, every day, cock-a-doodle-dooing. Now, if only we could get her to stop.

By Rachel Erickson