''Mike'', The Headless Chicken

By Crusader1307

Actually a ‘’Rooster’’, the Story of ‘’Mike’’ makes most consider it in the realm of American Showman and Huckster PT Barnum. However, it is true – regardless of the bizarre and unbelievable nature of it. Mike belonged to The Olsen Family of Fruita, Colorado (US), circa 1945. ‘’Salt of The Earth’’ Farmers, times were tough in the final year of World War II. The Olsen’s raised Chickens for both food and sale to make ‘’ends meet’’. One day, They slaughtered up to 50 such birds. The last one was ‘’Mike’’. But by strange happenstance, something happened. As is known, the ‘’dispatching’’ of a Farm Chicken is to simply grab it by it’s feet, flop the bird onto a block and ‘’chop off it’s head’’. As is further known, although ‘’dead’’ the Chicken’s nerve impulses are still active for several minutes. It is very common for the ‘’headless body’’ to ‘’flop and even run around’’ as if ‘’alive’’. Again, after several minutes, ‘’Nature’’ activates….and The Bird ‘’dies’’.

But in Mike’s ‘’Case’’, this DID NOT happen! Oh for sure, He ran around, but after several minutes He began to walk normally (more or less), and still try to ‘’peck’’. Taken to an Animal Doctor, it was determined that the ‘’chop’’ did not severe the Brain Stem and important nerves. Further, the odd angle of the blow caused major arteries to ‘’seal themselves’’. All in all, it was a ‘’one in a million’’ blow. But The Olsen’s saw a chance for earning more money. All around Colorado, Newspaper stories told of Mike. And naturally, most wanted to ‘’see the amazing’’ Bird. The Olsen’s charged .25 Cents (USD) for a ‘’look’’. Soon Mike earned National Attention and The Olsen’s took Mike ‘’on the road’’. They made an estimated $4,500 (USD) in Mike’s 18-month ‘’career’’. Mike was ‘’fed’’ with an eyedropper with a milk protein, with each drop placed into Mike’s throat (which he swallowed). But Mike needed various phlem and mucus removed as well. One night in New Mexico (1947), The Olsen’s awoke to Mike ‘’choking on His own fluids’’. They were unable to remove it in time and Mike ‘’died again’’ (this time for good). Ironically, The Olsen’s tried numerous times to ‘’duplicate’’ the ‘’act’’ with other birds, but neither They – nor anyone else has been able to reproduce the ‘’miraculous chop’’. And despite many modern Science takes on Mike being some kind of ‘’fake’’ those who saw it all agreed it was ‘’real’’.