The story of a brave chicken

A headless chicken has survived for a week after being decapitated and has now been adopted by a vet, who calls the bird 'a true warrior. Photo: Courtesy. 

By LB THAPA 

Life without a head is unimaginable. The head is the most vital part of the body, controlling the entire system. So, if the head is severed, life is expected to end. 

However, this belief has been challenged by a brave chicken that continued to live even after losing its head. 

If you find that hard to believe, let me share two bizarre cases—separated by time and place—where two chickens lost their heads but refused to die. The first occurred in 1945 in the United States, and the second in 2018 in Thailand. 

Let’s begin with the first case, first reported in 1945. On September 10 of that year, Lloyd Olsen and his wife Clara were busy slaughtering chickens. Lloyd decapitated the birds, and Clara cleaned them for sale at the local market. This was their routine—something they had done for years.

A strong desire to live can make one live even without a head. Photo: Courtesy.  

But September 10, 1945, was anything but ordinary. After finishing, Olsen counted the chicken bodies and found one missing. He counted again and again—always one short. 

When the couple searched the room, they discovered the chicken standing firmly in a corner. Its presence was beyond anything they had ever expected. They could hardly believe their eyes. Over the years, they had beheaded countless chickens, but never had a headless chicken stood upright on its own. 

Though the chicken had no head, it stood peacefully in the corner. When they tried to catch it, it kicked them hard. Nevertheless, the couple managed to secure it and placed it in a box for the night. 

The next morning, Olsen got up early to check on the headless chicken. To his astonishment, it was still alive and kicking—and even appeared quite healthy. News of the headless chicken spread like wildfire, and soon crowds flocked to the Olsen farm to witness the miracle. Journalists took photos, and the story was published in several local and national newspapers. 

Later, the couple was persuaded to take the chicken to the University of Utah, where scientists hoped to understand how it could survive without a head. Yet after days of research, the mystery remained unsolved. 

Around that time, Life Magazine featured the story and gave the chicken a name: Miracle Mike. Seizing the opportunity, Lloyd, Clara, and Mike toured the United States, earning a good deal of money by showcasing the headless chicken and sharing its story. 

During their travels across American cities, Clara recorded her experiences in a diary. After months on the road, they arrived in Phoenix, Arizona. Sadly, the brave chicken passed away in the spring of 1947. Mike had survived for 18 months without a head—the only recorded case of its kind in history. 

Mike might have lived even longer had Olsen not forgotten a syringe outside. The couple always fed the chicken carefully, using a dropper to place liquid food and water directly into its esophagus. They also used a syringe to clear mucus from its throat—a daily routine essential to Mike’s survival. 

One fateful night, Lloyd and Clara were awakened by Mike choking. Excess mucus had built up in his throat, making it difficult to breathe. This had happened before, and Olsen would normally clear it with the syringe. But when he searched for it, he realized it wasn’t at home—he had left it outside after a public show. Before he could find another solution, it was too late. Mike had suffocated and died. 

A Headless Chicken in Thailand

A vet named Supakadee Arun Thong has adopted the headless animal, feeding it by dropping food down its neck and giving it antibiotics. Photo: Asiawire

A headless chicken has survived for a week after being decapitated and has now been adopted by a vet who calls the bird 'a true warrior.' 'Photo: Asiawire.

In March 2018, a headless chicken became an instant breaking story for several local and national news outlets in Thailand. In Mueang Ratchaburi, a veterinarian named Supakadee Arun Thong cared for a headless chicken that survived for over a week. During that time, the chicken remained healthy, ate well, and walked briskly whenever someone tried to catch it. 

How the chicken lost its head remains unknown, though locals believed it may have escaped from a wildcat. 

When a group of monks first found the chicken, it had no head but was walking steadily. "The chicken was in full control. It never swayed or staggered at any point," the monks said. Later, Dr. Thong took the chicken from the monks and placed it under her care. 

She fed the chicken liquid food and water using a dropper, administered antibiotics regularly, cleaned the wound daily, and applied antiseptic cream to the severed neck. In photographs, the chicken appeared healthy and stood firm. 

Dr. Thong was deeply moved by the chicken’s spirit. "Such a brave chicken, refusing to die even after losing its head. Who says chickens aren't brave?" she said. Sadly, this courageous chicken lived only a little over a week before dying.

LB Thapa is a Pokhara-based freelance writer and author.

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