Chicken crosses the road, then abandoned by thief

Jerry Sleater finally has an answer to the age-old question, "Why did the chicken cross the road?"

Because someone tried to steal it.



The 76-year-old went outside on Thursday morning to get his newspaper when he saw Rudy lying down on the side of East Badger Road south of Kennewick.

Rudy is a 5-foot, 400-pound metal rooster that's been painted bright blue and has been perched at the edge of Sleater's property for about two years.



"Rudy is a family pet. He doesn't go anywhere, but he's part of the family," Sleater said.

Thieves tried to take the giant bird sometime Wednesday night. They appeared to have pushed him down a dirt embankment but then gave up and left Rudy on the side of the road.

With news video and photo gallery.