Every once in a while, if you’re present, you can witness small miracles. Marcel the rooster was the recipient of such a miracle and I had the honor of seeing it.
Marcel was a Black Copper Marans rooster, the breed that lays the chocolate colored egg – James Bond’s favorite. Marcel was sickly from the moment I brought him home from the breeder. The other birds I bought with him were thriving. I tried desperately to help him but he was near death for well over a year. He didn’t crow, his comb and wattles were under developed and he was the size of a young female.
At least four different times I found him laying on his side, close to death and too weak to move. I have never seen an animal with more will to survive and yet nothing I tried helped him. He had excellent care and still wouldn’t gain weight, barely ate and showed zero interest in girls. It was as if he had extreme depression and none of the remedies or medicines helped him.
I was out of town once when the farm sitter sent a picture of Marcel looking very dead, laying on his side in the pen. I asked her to put him in the barn and told her I’d take care of him when I returned the following day. I was sad but relieved his struggle was over.
The next day when I opened the barn door, to my surprise, Marcel was standing there looking at me. I got him to eat and drink but nothing seemed to help. I couldn’t bring myself to end his life, not as long as he was fighting to live. Some animals want to live, others give up easily. Over time you can see in it in their eyes. Marcel was stubborn so I would continue to help him.
A few days later I was excited to be the recipient of my dream chickens – my Lemon Chiffon Brahma – also known as Lemon Pyle Brahma.
I kept the new birds separated for awhile and once I allowed the flocks to mix I watched Marcel walk over to a particularly lovely Brahma girl, Sophie. They locked eyes for at least 2 minutes before I realized what was happening was unusual and took a picture (sorry about the crappy photo quality):
I watched Marcel’s puny pink comb turn bright red while he stared face to face at Sophie. She returned his stare. They didn’t move for several minutes – just stared beak to beak – zero personal space between them. I sat down next to them, perfectly mesmerized by the exchange in front of me. I was witnessing love at first sight, chicken style. To them, I didn’t exist. Nothing did. It was adorable and I was very aware a miracle was happening two feet from me.
Almost overnight Marcel was a new man. He started eating with a hearty appetite. He stood taller, his eyes brightened and he started crowing within TWO days. The love birds were inseparable.
They were two peas in a pod. Within a couple weeks Marcel transformed into a real rooster. He grew a large comb and wattles and filled out nicely.
I’ll never know what was wrong with him or how he could live for so long by shear willpower and so close to death for well over a year. Love is powerful medicine, people. Everyone should have a Sophie or Marcel. xo