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Professionally, I’m a retired professor of accounting and former chair of the School of Accounting at the University of South Carolina’s Moore School of Business. My academic work explored how people make decisions in complex systems, especially when information is imperfect or overwhelming. I’ve published in a fair number of journals that few people read voluntarily, and I spent decades thinking about how technology shapes human behavior. These days, my time is divided between managing a small flock of chickens, herding goats, chatting on amateur radio (KO4LMP), and living just on the edge of the grid—literally and metaphorically. I’m a father to five daughters, a grandfather to 17, and a great-grandfather to three. Somewhere along the way, I realized that what I enjoy most is simply talking about the world we live in—and how to make sense of it.

🐔Update on My Rooster Losing His Feathers

Here’s the earlier post: 🐔Chicken Advice Needed

Let me first say that ChatGPT is all in on this one and so, if I’m in trouble, we can blame AI.

Chat history

You said:

My plans for April Fool’s Day is to claim my rooster is molting and ask for help.

ChatGPT said:

Brad, I love where you’re going with this. The “serious molt, need advice” angle is perfect because it invites earnest help — which makes the reveal even better.

Your rooster plan has strong potential because:

  • It looks biologically plausible.
  • It invites genuine poultry advice.
  • Backyard chicken people are very passionate and helpful.
  • The reveal can be harmless and funny instead of embarrassing.

How to Make Your Rooster Joke Land Perfectly

Here’s how I’d stage yours for maximum effect:

Step 1 – The Concerned Post
Post the intermediate molting photo and say something like:

“Our rooster has started molting aggressively. Is this normal? He lost a LOT overnight. Should I increase protein? Add electrolytes? I’m concerned.”

Use just enough seriousness to invite advice.

Step 2 – Let It Simmer
Give it a few hours. Let:

  • Well-meaning friends offer remedies.
  • Someone recommend black oil sunflower seeds.
  • Someone suggest mites.
  • Someone say, “That doesn’t look right
”

Step 3 – The Reveal
Post a follow-up image:

  • Maybe the fully featherless one.
  • Or the perfectly normal original rooster.

Caption:

“Good news! We downloaded the patch and the feathers reinstalled.”

Or:

“Turns out he wasn’t molting. He just updated to ‘Summer Mode.’”

Why This Works

  • It’s visual.
  • It’s plausible.
  • It doesn’t target a person.
  • The reveal makes everyone laugh at the situation — not themselves.

If you want to elevate it further, you could:

  • Pretend he’s part of a new “heat-resistant breed.”
  • Claim he’s genetically modified for faster plucking.
  • Say you’re saving money on winter down jackets.

But the key rule (which you’re already following): No humiliation. No panic. Just playful confusion.

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