Tuesday, September 22, 2009

The Kentucky Fried Rooster Story


I recently heard a cute story about a little rooster who is a regular drive-through "customer" at one of the Kentucky Fried Chicken places here in Vicksburg.


It seems that "Otis" had been a well-kept secret for quite a while until a recent customer at KFC captured a picture of him and sent it to one of the television stations in Jackson.He has since become a local celebrity of sorts, and has even been featured in a video and newscast by the television station [you can click here to see the video if you'd like].

Yesterday, I decided to try to get some pictures of Otis, and, before I left home, I spoke with a lady at the KFC, and asked if there was a particular time when he made his visits. She said he has been coming almost every day for about two years, but not at any particular time of day. He comes from some nearby woods behind the KFC, and just "shows up." The employees of the KFC think of Otis as their "pet," and sometimes throw biscuit crumbs to him.

An article in yesterday's Vicksburg Post revealed that the newspaper knew about Otis, but refrained from running a story about him for fear of him being "chicken-napped." But now that the story's out, I couldn't resist driving by KFC yesterday morning to see if Otis was there -- and I wasn't disappointed! It was before KFC opened, and when I drove up, he was in the drive-through area.

He was very camera-shy and ran away when I tried to get closer to him, but a few minutes later, I saw him next door at a convenience store and I managed to get a few pictures of him there.

Awwwww, Otis ... don't get your feathers ruffled.
I'm not going to hurt you.

And he's off and running ...

Around the corner he goes!

Oh, well ... he's a beautiful rooster, and I was pleased that I at least got to see him and get a few pictures. I hope Otis won't become too "people-shy" after all the publicity and quit coming to the drive-through. Perhaps his love for those KFC biscuit crumbs will prevail over his shyness.

10 comments:

Blondie's Journal said...

Otis is a cutie!! I applaud you for your persaverance and getting a shot of him!

Seems KFC really likes him. Or they are hoping he will find a mate!

xoxo
Jane

Tonja said...

Only in the South! Too funny!

Lisa said...

Looks like KFC has got itself a bona-fide mascot.:)

RachelD said...

Janie,

I'm glad you got to see the resident rooster---our Wendy's not far away had a parking-lot Mama Cat, and she'd wend her way right up to the window.

One COLD day, I asked for a little six-nugget box, drove over into a parking space, opened the box, and left it there on the sidewalk.

She came running, and I guess she'd had something to eat already and was just cold, because she stretched out, completely covering that warm chicken in the open box, and I could see her lying there in the rearview mirror as I got to the Exit.

I haven't lived on a farm in a long time, but we DID raise a banty rooster IN THE HOUSE, and his plumage and profile were much more defined, with tailfeathers that swooped the ground. And just the look on the biddy's face---is it possible that Otis is a hen? Just something about the duller feathers and the rounded profile rather than that strutting rooster-shape seems to be a little bit matronly.

Lady Katherine said...

Loved seeing the pictures of Otis! My husband was on the new on the net and called me to come see a picture of the chicken at KFC. My husband said your going to love this. I did! I had no idea it was in Vicksburg, or even Mississippi! I have chickens!
Thank you for sharing this and Thank you for stopping by my site and leaving me a comment on the Mississippi Magnolia Southern Belle Luncheon. We surely would love to have met you!

Marian Ann Love said...

Thanks for letting me use one of your pics for my blog site today. Looks like "Otis" is becoming a well known celebrity these days! Nice article you have on Otis...good pics also...like the one with the ruffled feathers...and going around the corner...LOL

Sam said...

The recent article in the Vicksburg Post was referring to the famous chicken my dad and I named Otis a little over a year and a half ago. Otis was first seen on my dad's lot (2640 S. Frontage Rd.) right before demolition started of the old Bonanza steak house. My dad built his office on the lot after the demolition, which scared Otis next door to Bancorp South where we fed him corn for several weeks. He then moved to the woods behind KFC where he currently resides. I emailed you a picture I took of him about a year ago in front of the bank.

Charles Bell said...

This is one fo the best stories going on around Vicksburg in quite some time. You took some great pictures.

I'm worried some government person is going to ruin it all with some kind of city ordinance enforcement.

Deb said...

now that is cool...

Anonymous said...

Wow Janie! You really captured him (I mean photographically speaking!lol) What a funny thing!! I'm not sure I'd be able to eat KFC if I saw this poor bird hanging out there!lol As usually excellent pics! You just keep coming up with great ones!!! Sincerely, Jeannette