How Did This Headless Chicken Survive 18 Months?
Mike the rooster survived 18 months with a decapitated head. During this time, he still managed to do his daily job.
The story goes that one night, Mike was going to be the guest of honor at a supper for a farmer (Lloyd Olsen), his mother-in-law and his wife. When Mr. Olsen’s wife requested that he go get a chicken for supper, Mr. Olsen went outside with the intention of bringing back food to eat and not of creating a headless companion. During the decapitation, Mr. Olsen’s axe missed the jugular vein as well as one ear and most of Mike’s brain stem.
Living through this, Mike proceeded to spend that night with his severed head under his wing.
As time went on, the rooster did not die. Even without a head, he continued to go about his daily business such as preening and crowing. Noticing that he now had something special on his farm, Mr. Olsen began to care for the headless Mike by feeding him and giving him water through an eyedropper that was inserted into his gullet. The Olsen’s also used a syringe in order to clear the mucus from Mike’s throat in order to keep him from choking to death.
Mike survived for 18 months. During this time, he managed to continue his daily routines of balancing on the highest perches to crow, even though only gurgling sounds were produced. He also gained up to eight pounds by the time he died.
Sadly, in March, 1947, while staying at a motel during his tour, Mike the Headless Chicken choked to death on his own mucus. Unfortunately, the Olsen’s had not brought Mike’s syringe with them.
Mike’s claim to fame includes touring shows, photographs in magazines such as Time and Life and an annual day called “Mike the Headless Chicken Day” which is celebrated on the third weekend of May.
Mike the Headless Chicken (April 1945 – March 1947)
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