Devil Bird

FIERY FIENDS

"When you eat a boiled egg, be sure to poke a hole in the bottom of the shell to let the devil out, lest you turn into someone else.”

The above is an old, West Virginian saying pertaining to Deviled Eggs—eggs that have been laid by a hen possessed by an Infernal Imp. When an Infernal Imp feels death draw near, it devises a way to go out in one final blaze of destruction. Most of these fire imps seek out a dry forest or closely constructed buildings—engulfing them in flame before their demise; however, others think more long-term, invading chicken coops to immerse one hen in a magical fire, taking over its form. For the duration of the possessed hen’s short life (~3 months), all eggs laid are deviled eggs; imp possessed hens are indiscernible from regular hens, aside from these traits: they have a more aggressive nature, their eggs are fertilized without the assistance of a rooster, they will not permit a rooster to breed with them, and some of their eyes turn bright red or yellow.

APPEARANCE

The appearance of Devil Birds can vary depending upon the breed of their mother, though all share basic lifestyles, personalities, and developmental cycles. Additionally, all Devil Birds are male and unable to produce offspring.

ACTIVITY

Deviled Eggs

Possessed hens and Deviled Eggs do not arouse much suspicion; all hens maintain their normal laying schedule and eggs keep their normal color, texture, and size. The main, notable difference in Deviled Eggs is their taste, which is extremely spicy. It is important to add, however, that one should never consume these eggs unless they are properly prepared. If boiled, the egg must have a hole poked through the bottom by a pin or needle before immersing it in water; if cooked in any other way, the egg must be kept in the refrigerator for three days beforehand. The insides of Deviled Eggs are toxic to humans when improperly handled; if such an egg is consumed, individuals will begin having sensations of extreme heat, followed by vomiting, hallucinations of being on fire, a red rash accompanied by small blisters, and unrelenting paranoia that causes the afflicted to start fires. For those following proper preparation methods, the Deviled Egg can be an interesting and tasty substitute for many recipes.

Development

Devil Egg embryos develop quickly, hatching in 3 weeks; hens will incubate one egg at a time, laying all others outside of the nest. For large, strong Devil Birds to develop, the eggs must be kept at high temperatures; birds lain in cold temperatures grow to be smaller, weaker roosters. As hatchlings, the birds are covered in fluffy, yellow down, growing all of their feathers after five weeks. As adults, their feathers display vibrant colors (red, brown, orange, and yellow), and they usually have mottled chests, colorful sickle tail feathers, and multi-hued capes. As they age, four horns grow on the head, two large ones above and to the side of the eyes, and two more below the eyes and above the waffle; these horns continuously grow as the rooster ages and are always a pale yellow color. The fleshy portions of the chicken (including its feet and spurs) are a ruddy, reddish color. The birds reach full maturity at one year of age, usually growing up to 10 - 13 lbs. and 22 - 26 in. tall.

Daily Life

Devil Birds quickly rise in the pecking order, often decimating other male opposition early on. If they are competing with other Devil Birds, they will resort to fighting with their spurs, claws, wings, and beaks instead of relying on their fiery abilities. A Devil Bird’s presence agitates the entire coop, causing all birds to be more vocal and temperamental than usual. During the day, when they are not pestering or bickering with other chickens, they can be found roosting in lofty perches, eating feed, or attacking any small creature that draws too near.

ANATOMY

Though Devil Birds share most of their anatomy with their normal counterparts, they have two unique biological aspects: 1) a “fire sac” and 2) fireproof bodies. The fire sac contains a chemical that allows the chicken to produce flame internally and release it like a fire-breathing dragon or as an explosion upon death. This organ is connected to the esophagus and lungs, which swells to an enormous size during combustion. In rare instances, some roosters are also able to temporarily burst into flame—similar in manner to combustion, but not lethal to the bird or as powerful or hot. If agitated, threatened, or touched, Devil Birds will attack their offenders, often successfully driving them away. The roosters are said to be a menace to all things, even each other, as they easily become upset.

PREVENTION & MANAGEMENT

To rid oneself of a Devil Bird, one may shoot or physically attack it—though the latter risks catching fire or getting burned; the roosters may also be killed by freezing its body or lowering the temperature of its environment. Devil Birds cannot withstand low temperatures, therefore luring it into a freezer, waiting for harsh winters, or throwing cold water onto it during a windy or cold day is the safest way to kill—or at least weaken—the bird; if the rooster dies from cold, it will not explode in a blaze. However, if the bird dies from other causes, the size of its death blast depends on its bulk and age: larger and older ones will produce a wider area of flame. The remains of a combusted bird are charred and inedible.

Devil Bird meat is almost too spicy for consumption; younger fowl are less peppery— the unique taste intensifying with age. However, all of the fae-birds’ meat is unappetizing, as it has a sickly, yellow color and a sour smell. The skeletal remains of an unburst rooster have a similar pale yellow color, much like its horns.