Being a “Sign Reader” is really annoying for your passenger, but sometimes it has its benefits. When traveling on the highway 10 between Phoenix and Tucson– I read a bold red sign declaring “Ostrich Farm” — and before Moon could say bunk about it, we were headed off the highway.
When someone offers me an opportunity to see Ostriches, I’m going to jump at it.
I hadn’t heard a thing about the Rooster Cogburn Ostrich Farm ahead of time, and in some ways, I am glad I hadn’t. Is it essentially a roadside attraction zoo? Basically, yeah. Is that depressing in some ways? Yes, absolutely.
Did we compartmentalize those complicated feelings for an hour to feed some ostriches? Yep, we did.
As I often say about the van, it’s both about seeing the desirable and undesirable parts of America and all it has to offer. And the Rooster Cogburn roadside attraction was both delightful and unsettling– just like America herself.
The ostriches were the main event, but there were other animals to interact with– including goats, birds, and mini donkeys. There was food provided for each and specified as you entered, and while I couldn’t tell for sure, the animals seemed to have handlers rotating them pretty frequently to ensure nobody got overfed or overstimulated.
(Of course, we hardly could tell that for sure in our short time there– which may be the point).
Having had goats on my own farm, I knew it was straining credulity to imagine these hyper-intelligent escape artists were happy when placed into some of the attractions– like a goat kissing booth (yeah, that wasn’t great). It didn’t look comfortable for them, and though goats are incredibly food-motivated, being asked to perform for it wasn’t something that left a great feeling in my gut.
Seeing all these animals was nice– and feeding them was a hoot– but we were really there to see the ostriches.
As we rounded the corner, it was a reminder that these prehistoric-looking birds were decedents of dinosaurs– looking every bit as weird and menacing as Jurassic Park as they angled their necks and heads for a better view of us (mostly to see which hands held food). It was a little like being sized up for dinner, especially given the fencing didn’t seem adequate to contain their huge bodies.
It seemed like with a running start, they would be strong enough to burst right through. (Or maybe that was just the sensation I had since I was holding some food pellets they desperately wanted).
And at first, this made me really reticent to place my hand anywhere near those big beaks. Rounded or not, I couldn’t help but think they could still very much do some damage with them. When they grabbed the food, would they get overzealous and snap down on my joints?!
Now, Moon did not hesitate– she reached right out and offered up her pellets. And before she could raise her hand up to the level of the fence, the ostrich did the work for her– bending his little Gumby neck around the fence and downward, swiping the pellet right out of her hands. She SCREAMED– not because it hurt, but because it was a supremely weird feeling and happened SO FAST. These ostriches were quicker than your reflexes– so to feed them, you just had to trust them and go with it.
(If you’re at all curious about what it’s like to feed an ostrich, here’s a video or two below).
When traveling on the I-10, you might want to get out a stretch– and if you can stomach seeing some “petting zoo”-like animals contained but well-cared for, AND you aren’t too afraid of getting your fingers snapped off– maybe you can feed some ostriches at the Rooster Cogburn Ostrich Farm before hitting the highway again.
And of course, if you exit through the gift shop, you can purchase some ostrich feathers if you are so inclined.
Posted by Sun
