nPostednon May 17, 2014
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Thisnstory may be a little hard to take for animal lovers – so I’mnwarning people against the killing of animals for meat to read nonfurther. But it is such a crazy-interesting story, I had to writenabout it!
Thisnstory may be a little hard to take for animal lovers – so I’mnwarning people against the killing of animals for meat to read nonfurther. But it is such a crazy-interesting story, I had to writenabout it!n
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nWaynback in 1945, a Colorado farmer named Lloyd Olsen set off to kill antender young rooster for that night’s dinner. Knowing that hisnmother-in-law would be eating with them, and that she dearly lovednneck of chicken, Lloyd tried to cut the rooster’s head off in such anway that there would be a very generous neck bone.
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nApparently,nwhen farmers cut a chicken’s head off, the chicken can staggernaround, headless, for a short while (30 seconds or so) before theynrun out of blood and die. But that didn’t happen this time. Instead,nthis particular rooster staggered a bit but then started trying tonpeck for food and preen his feathers just like normal.
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nNormal…except that it no longer had a head!
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nOfncourse, the rooster wasn’t able to eat food without a beak, and he wasn’t ablento preen his feathers without a beak – but he was able to run offnfrom the farmer.
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nI’mnnot sure what the family ate that night, but they certainly didn’tneat the headless chicken!
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The next morning, Lloydnfound the chicken sleeping with his neck tucked under his wing. He was still alive. The farmer decided that the chicken was special.nHe named him Mike, gave the chicken grain and water with anneyedropper, and after a while took the remarkable bird to the University of Utahnin Salt Lake City for study by scientists.
The next morning, Lloydnfound the chicken sleeping with his neck tucked under his wing. He was still alive. The farmer decided that the chicken was special.nHe named him Mike, gave the chicken grain and water with anneyedropper, and after a while took the remarkable bird to the University of Utahnin Salt Lake City for study by scientists. n
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nItnturned out that Lloyd’s attempt for a lot of neck bone meant thatnMike still had most of his brain stem and one ear. And Mike didn’tnbleed to death because the axe blade had missed the jugular vein, andna clot had formed in the vessel that was cut.
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nMike,nthe Headless Chicken, (also called “Miracle Mike” and “the WondernChicken”) became famous as he lived for 18 more months! He seemednquite healthy, and he grew from 2.5 pounds to almost 8 pounds. Mikenwas featured in Life and Time magazines and in the book of Guinness World Records. He went on a national tour, even.
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nIfnyou want to find out more about Mike the Headless Chicken, check outnthis website.
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nThenpeople of Fruita, Colorado, hold a Mike the Headless Chicken Festivalnevery year on the third weekend in Mary. In Mike’s honor, celebrating one chicken’s amazing will tonlive, there is a 5K run, a disc golf tournament, a chicken eatingncontest (isn’t that ironic!), live music, and artisan booths. n
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nAlsonon this date:
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nPiratenBarti Ddu’s birthday
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Anniversarynof the discovery of Jupiter’s belts
Anniversarynof the discovery of Jupiter’s beltsn
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nGaliciannLiterature Day
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nPlannahead:
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Checknout my Pinterest boards for:
Checknout my Pinterest boards for:
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nMayn holidays
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nMayn birthdays
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nHistoricaln anniversaries in May
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nAndnhere are my Pinterest boards for:
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nJunen holidays
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nJunen birthdays
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nHistoricaln anniversaries in June
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