Bismarck Tribune - Bismarck News - Neighbors: Terry Morris, the 'Chicken Man'

Neighbors: Terry Morris, the 'Chicken Man'

MIKE McCLEARY/Tribune Henrietta, and Old Englsih Bantam hen, sits on the shoulder of Terry Morris. The tiny 12 year old hen, weighing less than one pound, has traveled with Morris across the country and lives in a horse trailer on a small horse ranch north of Bismarck.

Jun 25, 2006 - 02:09:21 CDT

Bismarck Tribune

By TONY SPILDEBy TONY SPILDE

Sometimes people walk into a newspaper office and say strange things, like "I have a pet chicken. She loves Mexican food."

That is how you met Terry Morris, a man's man with a black cowboy hat and deep voice who, in addition to being a crack shot and skilled horseman, has a pint-sized pet chicken named Henrietta.

They met in Washington.

"She's my buddy," Morris said one recent afternoon, as Henrietta walked across his shoulders. "It's pretty strange, I know. But she's a good pet."

Henrietta, an Old English Bantam hen, walked into Morris' life 12 years ago. Then 3 months old, the chicken strolled through the front door of Super Bee Wheel Alignment, a business Morris owned in Olympia, Wash.

He searched everywhere for the bird's owner. No one claimed her, so Morris let Henrietta stay in his shop.

"I didn't think she'd last a week in there, with cars going in and out all the time," Morris said.

But Henrietta, who weighs less than a pound, made the garage her home. She greeted customers with a friendly squawk, punched numbers on the calculator when Morris was in the business office and sat on his head when he talked on the phone. She ate lunch with him at the shop and soon found that she enjoyed his takeout meals better than her scratch. Henrietta particularly liked Mexican food, especially taco sauce. It makes her comb light up bright red.

Morris has taken Henrietta on trips with him. She has put on more than 50,000 miles in his truck, where she sits in a specially designed coop on the front seat. Last year, he took Henrietta to Los Angeles to visit his granddaughter. The chicken made a surprise appearance at show-and-tell, where 25 kids got to pet her.

"Most of the kids there didn't even know what a chicken was," Morris said. "Nobody brings a chicken to a classroom in L.A. The teacher was a little overwhelmed."

Morris, 60, grew up in Bismarck and graduated from high school here. The former owner of Bismarck Wheel Alignment and Frame Service always wanted to move out west, so he did in 1991. He had his Super Bee shop there for 15 years, before moving back to North Dakota this spring. He lives on a small farm north of Bismarck. Henrietta lives there, too, in a horse trailer. Sometimes, when Morris opens the door to the trailer in the morning, there's an egg in there. Sometimes there's one in his truck. He knows when she's going to lay one, because her comb lights up like she just ate taco sauce.

One day, back in Washington, one of Morris' customers took a particular liking to Henrietta. Iris-Arla Moore, a librarian in Olympia, decided to write a children's book about the small pet chicken. "Henrietta the Guard Chicken" was published by Trafford Publishing in March. The book chronicles Henrietta's time with Morris, who in the book is known as Dan.

"We figured 'Dan' was easier to say for kids than 'Terry'," Morris said. "It's a nice little book. It gives parents something different to read to their kids. And the parents like it, too."

The book can be ordered online at www.trafford.com/06-0371.

"Now, a lot of people know me as the 'Chicken Man,'" Morris said. "Everyone's looking for something in life, I guess. If kids get a kick out of (the book), that's just fine with me."

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Comments

Frank wrote on Aug 10, 2008 4:34 PM:

" WOW.... she's that old, my hens never lived that long. I once had a hen just like her, she was a great pet. chickens are cool. Terry you did a good job of raising your hen, keep up the good work. "

Sheila - Independence, Missouri wrote on Aug 3, 2006 5:48 PM:

" One of my supervisor's, her Mother has a pet chicken! Her chicken is all white and named FLUFFY. FLUFFY has her own chair in the house and loves popcorn. She has toys that she loves to hide. I am going to get Mr. Morris' book for my supervisor's Mother. sheila "

Howard wrote on Jul 1, 2006 6:25 PM:

" I worked at Super Bee when Henrietta came there she is the most wonderful pet that i ever met and after Terry moved back to Bismark the shop just wasnt the same without her around "

Lehel Csaba wrote on Jun 29, 2006 4:41 PM:

" I am a vegetarian because of compassion, and I liked this story very-very much!! We do not eat doggies, because they are our friends. If a chicken can be such a wonderful friend with a personality, why do we eat them? Actually, I write this comment from Europe, Hungary. Just mention this to show that the story is really very nice, available now around the world. "

nicole and genny wrote on Jun 28, 2006 3:01 PM:

" awwwwww! how cute. i have 8 pullets now and hopefully my favorite, Genevieve an americauna, will be like Henrietta when she gets a little older! my dog also loves the car and tacos! ha! ha! ha! "

Alan Stanford wrote on Jun 27, 2006 9:57 PM:

" It's not news to me or my friends that chickens like Henrietta are intelligent, good natured, and make exceptional pets. I am a physicist with a "house chicken". Tenten has a "chicken diaper" (actually a cleverly designed bag that catches all) and he wanders the house with two cats. I might be biased but I think chickens are smarter, friendlier, and cleaner than cats. "

Emily Rossi wrote on Jun 27, 2006 5:44 PM:

" This story is SO SWEET! Morris seems like a great guy and a great parent to Henrietta. It looks like they make a great team. I'm glad that she found such a loving and caring man to adopt her. (or she adopted him!) I definately would take my car to a place that has a chicken! This story as an extra bonus because I live in WA. "

Alisha Tomlinson wrote on Jun 27, 2006 5:10 PM:

" I have an Old English Bantam Rooster named Mr. Joy (first name Henry!) who is just a sweet and tame. He loves to go in the car, watch tv, even take baths in the sink. He visits schools & fundraisers educating people about how smart and sweet chickens really are. There are tons of us chicken folk out here www.mrjoy.net www.backyardchickens.com I'd love to meet Henrietta and share some chips & salsa with her and Terry! "

Linda Hamid wrote on Jun 27, 2006 4:43 PM:

" What a wonderful story! Chickens are not dumb, as many people believe. They form life-long bonds with other chickens, as well as with people and sometimes other animals; they dislike some of their flock mates; roosters often have 'favorite' hens; some are fiesty, others are mellow. They each have their own personality. I never would have believed it either until I got chickens and found out for myself what wonderful creatures they are. God must have been particulary pleased after He created the rooster, why else would He have given them the marvelous ability to crow? "

Diana Hedrick wrote on Jun 27, 2006 3:46 PM:

" It is people like Terry and chickens like Henrietta that inhabit the little known world of the hobby/backyard chicken flock ...a world where people (like their beloved pets >ahem< flock)stick together...watch out for each other and share their own "henrietta stories" ... get a chicken ... you'll be a better person for it! "

Cathy wrote on Jun 27, 2006 8:46 AM:

" What a sweet story! I've had chickens all my life. I have them now. A hand raised chicken makes a wonderfully loyal and affectionate pet. "

Cheryl McArdle wrote on Jun 27, 2006 7:28 AM:

" I had a chicken when I was small and his name was JJ he would sit on my high chair and eat what fell off the plate and what I handed to him. I don't remember what happened to him but he made a lasting memory even to this day. I was happy to hear about Terry and Henrietta and Im buying my grand children the book and one for myself! Thanks for bring back good memories! "

Jenna wrote on Jun 27, 2006 4:36 AM:

" What an incredible story. I raised chickens when I was a child and now how loyal they can be. I loved the story - Which reached the news in Charlotte North Carolina where I presently live!! "

Iris-Arla Moore wrote on Jun 27, 2006 12:59 AM:

" Thanks for a great article on Dan and Henrietta and my book. It really is a great read and a true story. One correction: I am not a librarian in Olympia, but a retired Children's Librarian. That's why I had time to create this book. It was a lot of fun, and a gift to children of ALL ages, and all chickens everywhere. "

Jennifer - Portland, Oregon wrote on Jun 26, 2006 8:01 PM:

" You've made the national news scene! Cheers and many more happy adventures for both Terry and the DIVINE Miss Henrietta! "

Evelyn Horst wrote on Jun 25, 2006 6:54 PM:

" I would like to know if Terry Morris while in grade school attended the country school in Haycreek district just north of Bismarck. "

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