This was the volunteer who let me hold Mason and was amazed when he didn’t protest. She did tell a story about how she had once gone into his stall and somehow had gotten a severe gash on her leg. Not hard to believe with those feet! She said he can be testy with people but absolutely adores his hens and is very protective of them. She also offered to rearrange his feathers for his portrait -- parted down the middle, fluffed up all over -- but I said I liked the natural look the best.

*****

Mason, a buff laced Polish chicken, was found on the Appalachian Trail near the Mason-Dixon Line by a hiker named Heather Bolint, who carried and camped with Mason through three states and over 42 miles, then brought him to safety at Poplar Spring. He was found in an area with no farms or houses nearby, and it's a mystery how he got there.

Disbelief, posted earlier: