Rudy
In June 2009, we were contacted about a horrific cruelty case on eastern Long Island involving the abandonment of over 100 starving farm animals. Amongst the severely debilitated, dying and dead animals were cows, goats, pigs, chickens, and rabbits surrounded by moldy bread loaves, their only source of nutrition.
A rescuer on the scene asked if we could take in an emaciated “hen” found cowering in the corner of one of the dark dilapidated barns who appeared to have severely injured legs and feet. Without hesitation, we made plans to adopt and rehabilitate this poor soul. We knew “she” would fit right in with our other special needs chickens. First named “Ruby,” we had to change his name to “Rudy” after hearing his soft crow inside the house at 4 o’clock the next morning!
Rudy had endured unspeakable cruelty. He was emaciated, covered in feces, and had frostbitten earlobes. His comb had been “dubbed” (cut off), a procedure that is performed without anesthesia on many roosters used for breeding and cock fighting. After days of bathing, cleaning, and dissecting debris from his legs, we discovered he had no feet; only remnants of crushed bones and toes buried deep within his bloodied leg stumps remained. We don’t know exactly how he lost them, but it was likely a combination of cruelty, frostbite, trauma, and neglect.
The farmer was charged with animal cruelty and spent only one night in jail. Laws protecting animals, especially farm animals, are horribly inadequate. Please stand up for farm animals as much as you do for your companion animals. All animals deserve our protection and respect. Fortunately, all one hundred animals were placed, but it was quite an effort involving multiple sanctuaries and rescuers. We adopted our cow Hazel from the same case.
After months of medical treatment, Rudy’s leg stumps finally healed. Every few days, his stumps were wrapped in sporty cushioned booties to help him get around the coop and outside in their predator-proof garden. Eventually, we extended the bootie change interval to weekly, so the total over his lifetime was over 700 bootie changes! We designed his coop and sunroom specifically to accommodate his challenges, so instead of perches, we used straw bales stacked in steps so he had a safe spot to sleep that satisfied his natural need to find a higher location. The sunroom ramp made it easy for him to travel back and forth between the two spaces.
Sadly, Rudy succumbed to cancer in the summer of 2021. All his life, he was so patient and such a gentleman with his ladies. Regardless of how many blueberries we hand fed him, he always gave them all away (perfect and uncrushed) to his hen friends. He pampered over fifty hens during his twelve years here. They always jockeyed for the spot next to him for snuggling at night. Rudy was an incredibly gentle soul who taught us all something about perseverance and gratitude. Rudy touched the lives of everyone who met or adored him from afar. Our special boy will remain in our hearts forever.
If you’d like to purchase a beautiful Rudy pin, click here for more information.
After Rudy's first bath.
First day out in the coop. It took a few months for him to gain strength in his legs and stand up on his "toes."
Standing up straighter each day.
First time outside, he immediately took a dust bath.
With some of his ladies in the sunroom: (left to right) Roadrunner, Gwen, Mrs. Squires, Wanda & Tilly.
With Gwen and Wanda.
Handsome boy.
With Helen Reddy.
I did all of his bootie changes inside the house.
Our talented friend Tiffany made this beautiful sign for Rudy's sunroom. She also made our welcome sign.
With Clementine (Rudy's favorite pal.)
Distracting Rudy with snacks while carrying him back and forth to the house. He spent every night inside the house his last winter.