Murfreesboro, TN - Sunshine Nutrition Center had a guest stop by in February (2024), almost a year ago. There were no cries of "fowl play" as Brewster's followers grew into the hundreds. They dropped by the health food store at 621 South Church Street, just to make certain the so called "guest" was keeping an adequate diet. But what makes this two-legged guest so unusual for the store, which is barely 2,000 feet south of the county courthouse in Murfreesboro, is that the guest is a wild rooster.
The WGNS radio tower sits in the wetlands behind the store, and Brewster the Rooster was occasionally seen greeting folks along the boardwalk too. It was thought that he might have even had aspirations of entering the country music industry. But that later turned out to be only a rumor.
Perhaps the one who became the closest friend of this talented vagabond was Terence Hillsman at Sunshine Nutrition. Terence told WGNS that Brewster had a "partner" when he first arrived at their front door almost 12-months ago, but that cohort disappeared the next day.
Brewster stuck like glue and made friends by the hundreds. In fact, Terence estimates the Brewster had 300 or more fans who would regularly drop-by the health food store just to see their buddy. Brewster took the time to come out of hiding and into the driveway to meet guests at their car. It was obvious, he liked people and wanted to make it easy on his fan base.
WGNS followed this colorful, charismatic character and shared observations from time-to-time on the radio. The radio station also shared a few photos of the rooster online, at WGNSradio.com.
You couldn’t ignore Brewster. In fact, if you tried—and walked into Sunshine Nutrition without showing him the proper respect, Brewster would stand on the front porch, and glare at you through the glass door.
Terence explained, "Brewster would then crow at you, and you clearly understood his message." (see the attached video)
Fast forward into the New Year and we can only imagine that something must have gone horribly wrong…because Brewster disappeared almost as quickly as he came onto the scene one-year-ago.
Terence has some suspicions as to what might have happened to this loveable rooster. He was looking out the back window of Sunshine Nutrition and peering into the wetlands area when he spotted a giant hawk. Even though the raptor was about 300-feet away, he could see something that had similar coloring to Brewster WITH the hawk.
You see, Brewster wasn’t an ordinary superstar. Nope, he was a gifted rooster—and you know, he likely had dreams to use his crowing skills in a high noted country hit and maybe even plans to sing a few tunes in nearby Music City. Sadly, that broadened "claim to fame" never materialized for Brewster the Rooster, and now is nowhere to be found - - other than the day he was seen with the hawk, a day that he looked to be fast asleep. But that couldn’t be, because roosters don’t typically sleep during the day!
Pardon the expression Brewster, “you’re gone, but not forgotten!" Click Here for the Faceboolk LINK to Brewster.
How Unique Are WILD CHICKENS in America?
Are "wild chickens" mostly found in third world countries, or are they also in other areas of the U.S.?
There are several confirmed stories of "wild roosters and chickens" living in the United States.
- Tropical storms that struck Hawaii in 1982 and 1992 blew-away the chicken coops in Kauai. The chickens mated with wild red jungle fowl, and a hearty breed is thriving on the islands.
- There are many wild roosters and chickens roaming in New Smyrna Beach, Florida.
- Plainview, Long Island in New York has wild chicks roaming their township. The rooster's early morning wake-up call is what town folks complain most about.
- Hollywood Freeway in Los Angeles is well known for the colony of ferel chicks living under the Vineland Avenue off-ramp.
- Of course, Key West, Florida is known for wild chickens roaming that city. In fact, it's a tourist attraction and the ferel fowl are protected by law. They were brought to the Keys by settlers in the 1820s. However, Hurricane George spread them throughout the island in 1998.
In addition, there are reports of these birds in Fetzgerald, GA; Gotha, FL, and even Houston, TX--just to name a few.
I'll be you didn't know all of this. In fact, to borrow a phrase that you regularly heard on WGNS in the past--that, my friends, is "the rest of the story".
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