Abandoned Peacock Chick Finds Unlikely Friend In Tulsa Therapy Dog

Most people are familiar with Rocky, the underdog boxer played by Sylvester Stallone. There's little peacock chick at Saint Simeon's Retirement Center in Tulsa that some people think have a lot in common with that character.

Every year the peacocks at Saint Simeon's have chicks that are adopted out. We found five little peacock chicks out for a picnic under the supervision of their mother.

It's a nice little family group, but what if your mama has rejected you, and you're all alone. Sad, huh?

That describes Rocky. He reminds everyone at Saint Simeon's of Sylvester Stallone's Rocky.

"He had a lot of obstacles," said Kathy Hinkle, continuing education director at the retirement center. "He never gave up. He was determined."

Kathy found an abandoned nest of peacock eggs. She told me she gathered them up and brought them inside.

"Came in the next morning, and 'peep, peep,'" she said. "One of the eggs should not have - had hatched."

The first thing that chick saw was Simone, Saint Simeon's house dog who - by the way - has her own Facebook account.

"The mother must operate under the premise: you hatch it, you raise it," Kathy Hinkle said.

None of the four peahens on the property would have anything to do with Rocky, so he follows Simone around like she was his mama. Simone plays along; they've bonded.

Saint Simeon's adopts out all their new peafowl every year when the chicks get old enough. So Barbara Bartlett, who has other peacocks at home, agreed to take Rocky.

Barbara recently had arm surgery and wears a sling. For now, it's the perfect place for Rocky to hitch a ride.

But when he comes to Saint Simeon's for a visit, he hangs out with Simone.

"A chick that had to kind of hatch on his own," said continuing education director Kathy Hinkle.

Yeah - streetwise and tough. That's Rocky.