Thursday, July 13, 2006

More Fowl News...


SCIO, Ore. (AP) - Big Red, the rooster whose daily tours of Main Street brought national attention to this mid-Willamette Valley town, died this week after getting mauled by a dog.

The Rhode Island Red was attacked Tuesday afternoon while walking to his home at the Scio Feed and Country Store. The dog leaped through the open window of a parked car and pounced on Big Red, said Marian Heikkila, who had cared for the bird with her husband, Audie.

Heikkila said the bird staggered for several steps and collapsed at the front door of veterinarian Sally Cole's office. The cause of death was broken ribs and internal bleeding, the Albany Democrat-Herald reported.

"I got a call at home from my husband telling me to get to Sally's office right away," Heikkila said. "When I arrived, Audie was there and there Big Red was on the table and they were giving him oxygen.

"I just said 'Oh Red,' and he took a couple of breaths and died, and then everyone started crying."

Big Red came to town in the bed of a pickup in 1998. No one knew who he belonged to or why he was in the pickup.

He jumped out the vehicle and wandered to the Heikkila's store, where he made a home in the store's warehouse and crowed to be let out every morning at 8 a.m.

Big Red quickly developed a familiar routine. He would pause on the warehouse steps before heading across the street and down an alley to the Scio Food Center/Deli on Main Street, where he awaited a cinnamon roll and a tiny ceramic dish filled with water.

After finishing breakfast, Big Red would return to the feed store, making several stops along the way for sliced grapes and popcorn.

He returned to the grocery store around lunch time looking for handouts from students. Every afternoon shortly before 5, he returned to the warehouse to be locked up for the night.

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