The Headless Wonder: Mike's Survival Story

In 1945, a chicken named Mike became known as 'Miracle Mike' after surviving for 18 months without a head. The story began when a Colorado farmer, Lloyd Olsen, attempted to behead the chicken but missed the jugular vein and most of the brain stem, allowing the chicken to remain quite healthy. Mike's survival sparked national fascination, and he was toured across the US as a wonder of biology. Mike's ability to survive without a head is attributed to the fact that a chicken's brain is mostly located at the back of its skull, and the axe blow left the parts controlling essential functions like breathing and heart rate intact.

Mike's brain stem and cerebellum were left intact, allowing him to breathe and maintain balance

Mike the Headless Chicken lived for 18 months without a head after his owner, Lloyd Olsen, accidentally lopped off most of his head with an axe. Despite the severity of the injury, Mike was able to survive because his brain stem and cerebellum were left intact.

The brain stem and cerebellum in chickens are located at the back of the skull, behind the eyes, and extend into the neck. This means that even with the majority of its head removed, Mike retained the parts of its brain that controlled essential functions such as breathing, heart rate, digestion, and balance. The brain stem also controls most of a chicken's reflex actions.

In addition to the brain stem and cerebellum, Mike also retained one ear and his jugular vein, which likely contributed to his survival. It is also speculated that a timely blood clot prevented him from bleeding to death immediately after the beheading.

Due to these factors, Mike was able to maintain a relatively healthy life after losing his head. He could stand, walk, and perch, and even attempted to preen, peck for food, and crow, although with limited success. Mike's survival fascinated the public, and he became a famous attraction, touring sideshows and being featured in magazines and newspapers.

A clot prevented Mike from bleeding to death

On September 10, 1945, in Fruita, Colorado, farmer Lloyd Olsen was about to prepare dinner when he decided to take one last look at the chickens he had chosen for slaughter. One chicken, a Wyandotte rooster named Mike, caught his eye. Olsen swung an axe, but instead of taking off the bird's head, he missed, leaving behind a stump with a bit of skull and one ear. Astonishingly, Mike remained upright and began to pace around, seemingly unfazed. It appeared that Olsen had chopped off most of the rooster's head, but left the brain stem and one ear intact. This meant that the chicken could still hear, walk, and even balance on a perch. The brain stem controls heart rate, breathing, digestion, and balance, so Mike could survive without his head. A clot prevented Mike from bleeding to death, and his esophagus closed up, allowing him to drink water and eat corn kernels when they were dropped down his throat with a dropper.

Olsen and his family realized that Mike was an unusual phenomenon and decided to capitalize on the headless wonder. They began charging people 25 cents to see the chicken, and Mike soon became a celebrity. He was even insured for $10,000. The Olsen family took Mike on the road, touring sideshows and carnivals, and people flocked to see the headless bird. Mike lived for 18 months without his head, which is an extraordinary feat, and he continued to behave like a regular chicken, preening, walking, and attempting to crow and fight. His reflexes were still intact, and he would peck at his food when it was dropped into his throat.

Veterinarians and scientists were intrigued by Mike's survival, and X-rays revealed that most of his head was indeed gone, including his beak and most of his skull. They concluded that the axe had missed the brain stem, allowing Mike to survive. The fact that he could eat and drink was also remarkable, as his esophagus had closed up, preventing him from bleeding to death and allowing food to reach his stomach.

Mike's story is a testament to the resilience of life and the power of the brain stem. Despite losing his head, he survived and thrived, becoming a celebrity and fascinating people worldwide. While Mike's case is certainly unique, he serves as a reminder of the complex and fascinating nature of the brain and the body's ability to adapt and survive in extraordinary circumstances. His story has gone down in history as one of the strangest and most fascinating tales of animal survival.

Mike was fed a mixture of milk, water, corn, and worms via an eyedropper

Miracle Mike, the headless chicken, survived for 18 months without a head after his owner, Lloyd Olsen, accidentally lopped off most of his head with an axe, leaving his jugular vein, an ear, and most of his brain stem intact.

Mike's owner fed him a mixture of milk, water, corn, and worms via an eyedropper. This unusual diet was necessary because of Mike's condition, as he had to be fed via liquid food dropped directly into his oesophagus. The milk and water would have provided Mike with essential hydration, while the corn and worms provided nutrition.

Olsen's innovative feeding method was not the only way he cared for Mike. He also had to remove mucus from the chicken's throat with a syringe to prevent choking. This was a life-saving procedure, as Mike ultimately passed away when Olsen and his wife, Clara, were unable to find the syringe in time.

Mike's survival without a head can be attributed to the fact that a chicken's brain is mostly located in the back of its head, behind the eyes. The axe blow removed Mike's beak, face, eyes, and an ear, but it is estimated that up to 80% of his brain mass remained, including the areas controlling heart rate, breathing, hunger, and digestion.

The story of Mike the Headless Chicken became a national fascination, and he was toured across the US as a wonder of biology, bringing in significant income for his owners. His fame even inspired a music video by the poultry-themed comedy punk band, The Radioactive Chicken Heads.

Mike toured sideshows and was featured in prominent magazines

After Lloyd Olsen realised that Mike was still alive after being beheaded, word spread around the neighbourhood, and locals began visiting the Olsen farm to see the headless chicken. A promoter named Hope Wade heard about Mike and convinced the Olsens to take him to the University of Utah in Salt Lake to see if scientists could document the bird. Local newspapers in Salt Lake reported on the famous fowl's visit, and a small sideshow was set up.

Mike's fame continued to grow, and he began touring sideshows, travelling to California and Arizona. Hope Wade took Mike on a tour of the southeastern United States, while the Olsens returned to their farm. Mike was exhibited at fairs, carnivals, and other public events, and people paid 25 cents (equivalent to $4 in 2024) to see him. At the height of his popularity, Mike's owner earned $4,500 per month (equivalent to $63,400 in 2024), and Mike himself was valued at $10,000 (equivalent to $140,800 in 2024).

Mike's story was featured in prominent magazines such as Time and Life. Life Magazine came to Salt Lake to marvel at Miracle Mike, and he was photographed for dozens of magazines and papers. Mike's travels were carefully documented by Clara Olsen in a scrapbook, which included photos, ticket stubs, and letters. The scrapbook has been used for interviews with the press and was used to create the book 'The Official Mike the Headless Chicken Book' by Teri Thomas.

Mike's owner, Lloyd Olsen, exhibited him at fairs and carnivals

Mike the Headless Chicken was a five-year-old cockerel when Lloyd Olsen, a farmer in Fruita, Colorado, beheaded him with an axe in September 1945. To Olsen's surprise, Mike did not die. Upon realizing that the chicken was still alive, Olsen decided to care for the bird. He fed it a mixture of milk, water, corn, and worms using an eyedropper or by dropping them directly into the chicken's exposed oesophagus.

Olsen soon realized that he had an attraction on his hands that others would pay to see. For the next 18 months, he exhibited Mike at fairs, carnivals, and other public events. Mike's travels were carefully documented by Olsen's wife, Clara, in a scrapbook that still exists today.

Mike's fame grew, and he was put on display for an admission cost of 25 cents (equivalent to $4 in 2024). At the height of his popularity, Olsen earned $4,500 per month (equivalent to $63,400 in 2024), and Mike was valued at $10,000 (equivalent to $140,800 in 2024). Mike was featured in prominent magazines such as Time and Life, and he travelled to various states, including California, Arizona, and Utah.

In March 1947, while on tour in Phoenix, Arizona, Mike started choking on his mucus, and despite Olsen's efforts, he died. Mike's spirit is now celebrated annually at the Mike the Headless Chicken Festival in Fruita, Colorado.

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