It’s not common for people to have roosters as pets, but Mary Bowman doesn’t really abide by this rule. She welcomed the Cornish cross rooster named Boo the Roo into her home after saving him from his dreadful past life at a meat factory.
Bowman became aware of the deplorable conditions that Boo was living in after a friend sent her a Craigslist ad, posted by a man who said he wants to get rid of his “mutant-like ugly chicken”. She only saw beauty in Boo, even though he was in pretty bad shape when she found him.
The tricky thing about Cornish Cross roosters is that they can’t self-regulate their feed consumption, and Boo was severely overweight after long periods of constant feeding. She was worried that he might not survive because his oxygen consumption was restricted due to his obesity but still decided to take him in and raise him with her other pets.
It all turned out for the best, and Boo the Roo is now five years old, living his best life with Bowman and her family. His favorite hobbies include snuggling with humans, going on road trips, playing the piano, and taking rides in a doggy stroller, and he’s followed by over 35,000 people on Instagram.
