I didn't realize you had to click on him after you speak to the ghost of Big Marge and walked all the way to the Magicockerel, only then realizing that he hadn't been following me and having to walk all the way back to find him!
He does follow you if you talk to him. As so often I forgot to cast spirit vision and didn't even notice Big Marge's ghost. But if you go to the Magicockerel without getting your instructions from Marge, you have to fight a horde of void chickens. Not challenging and not rewarding, since they don't even add EPs and the Magicockerel is gone for good when the fight starts.
