‘I’m sure he has bragging rights now that he’s a world traveller’: Family rooster flies the coop by clinging onto bottom of relative’s SUV

Often when heading home from a relative’s house, you leave with more than what you came with. But for one couple who was visiting their daughter north of Guelph, they didn’t realize they had a sneaky stowaway until they heard a strange sound in their garage the next day.

“We were here eating supper and wondering what we’re hearing in the garage,” said Ray Dykstra.

A startling sound interrupted Ray and Anita Dykstra’s Monday evening meal.

“We heard a rooster crow in our garage and we were dumbfounded because there are no chickens or free range chickens around here,” said Dykstra.

The couple would have never guessed what was behind the door.

“We went into the garage and here's this big cocky pretty rooster looking at us.”

Dude is the name of the rooster who made his temporary home in the Dykstra’s garage. While the surprise visitor was a shock, Dykstra had an idea of where Dude came from.

"After some thought, I thought I'm gonna call my daughter and ask if they have a missing rooster and sure enough they did."

Dykstra figures Dude hitched a ride with them as they left their daughter’s farm in Ariss, a town just north of Guelph. He believed Dude was clinging onto the bottom of their SUV for the entire trip to their home near Listowel, a nearly 80 km commute.

"We're thankful that Dude made the trip. I'm sure he has bragging rights now that he's a world traveller and all the ladies will be impressed with him and we're also thankful that Dude did not choose to go up into the engine compartment,” said Dykstra.

Dude’s owners are just as shocked as to how their rooster survived the trip.

“I just thought it was a great April Fool’s joke whether it’s a few days late or not but he’s back home, no worse for wear,” said owner Anika Gardner. “There’s another rooster who’s not terribly kind to Dude so maybe that had something to do with it but he’s got a good life here. I don’t know where he was going…he’s a hitchhiking rooster.”

While his owners say they’re happy Dude experienced life outside of the coop, his joy ride days are now over.

“I was surprised he could make it all that way. I'm glad he didn't go to my parents house in Pickering, that would have been on the 401 and even worse but yeah we're just happy he's healthy and happy and we can get him back to his hens here," said owner Andrew Gardner.

Dykstra’s grandchildren consider Dude a member of their family and are relieved he is back home safe and sound.

“He was probably very scared and he wasn’t in the actual car, he was in the motor part,” said one of Dykstra’s grandchildren.

“Yeah, he’s sort of crazy…he’s a chicken that has a Mohawk…he’s a pretty cool dude.”