….with the latest Rooster News. Brian is the new talking bird….all the way from Uncle Spike’s farm in Turkey….
(formerly Duke’s Diaries) read on…

”The world has changed”….. First off, can I call you Aunty Gill too? As the new rooster in town, Farmer Spike said part of my job is to be a nephew to a rather nice hooman – ok, I’m cool with that, and that I should write to you once a month, definitely cool with that too !
As you know, your rooster nephew from Türkiye, the ‘recently-left-for-greener-pastures’ Duke-Cocka-Locky, was a bit of a celebrity all right, what with blogging in foreign lands, trying to take on big man Pablo every three months, as well as his antics in the woodshed!
Talking of Pablo, I know you were expecting him to pick up Duke’s pen, but he too has moved on. He didn’t follow our Duke, just decided to become an overnight statue; found still stuck on his perch the other morning – the old ticker must’ve given out from all his carrying on with his (ahem), ’duties’. This is the last photo Farmer Spike took of Pablo, just for you Aunty Gill.

So anyway, that left the senior ladies all alone… and then along came me. And this is my first ever photo – not quite got the hang of what to do yet.

There I was, living with my brothers on Soup Row. That’s what we call it where us boy chooks live. It’s a kinda big pen made of sumfink called chainlink fencing, even on the top to stop Mrs Fox trying to munch our toes. It’s not a bad life out there, with nice grub every morning and night from Farmer Spike. Oh, why “Soup Row”? Well that’s just coz we help make ‘soup’; whatever that is…
Mary, one of the grown-up chooks, or ‘outsiders’ (coz they live ‘on the outside’), told us about Duke, and then Pablo, and that that meant no man to play with. The next evening, just before dusk, Farmer Spike came down to see us a second time – we’d already had some barley an hour before, so it was a surprise seeing him again. Curious times as I recall Aunty Gill !!

Farmer Spike then opened the door to the pen and came into Soup Row. Now, we know he’s not gonna join us, not unless he’s really upset Aunty Spike, so we all wondered what was going on! We know Farmer Spike well, as he looked after us when we were baby chooks. He looked at us all one by one, and then smiled at me and said “Now then son, you are destined for glory me old musher; and boy are you gonna like this!” And with that he grabbed me and shoved me into a big sack. That was okay, sacks are safe places, and all chooks know that, so I settled down happily…

An hour or so later, Farmer Spike took the sack, with me inside, and we went for a short walk…. And you’ll never guess what happened next Aunty Gill; he opened the sack and there I was, in the main chook pen with the grown-up ladies, yes I was suddenly in with the ‘outsiders’! One of the ladies wasn’t best pleased to see me, and pecked my butt for a good twenty minutes, so then Farmer Spike put lots of feed sacks to cover the hard wire door, making it really dark,…… sleep time.
The next day I started to figure it all out. I was there with the ‘outsiders’, no rooster about, just me. Hold on, I am the rooster now, and I’ve been given the name of “Brian”. The next photo is me mid ‘crow’ – I’m not that good at it yet, so I’ll have to keep on practicing. Oh, and Aunty Gill, another thing, you’ll never guess what part of my job is – yikes!!!!

Best wishes from your newly appointed Rooster Nephew, Brian xx

Dear Brian Rooster Nephew,
Thank you for taking over Duke’s pen and for  the last photo of poor Pablo.Its sad about Pablo…. but it is wonderful to meet you. Let us hope you have a long and happy stay with the hens. Enjoyed your story here so looking forward to more from you next month. ….. Mean while take care and see you soon!
Best wishes Auntie Gill X