Jake Harper
The longest a headless chicken has ever lived is 18 months. The chicken, named Mike, had most of his head chopped off but lived because his jugular vein was missed, and a clot prevented him from bleeding to death. The incident occurred on September 10, 1945, in Fruita, Colorado, and Mike survived until March 17, 1947. Mike's story is a remarkable biological anomaly and has since become a cultural institution in his hometown, with an annual Mike the Headless Chicken Day celebrated in May.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Name | Mike |
| Species | Male Wyandotte Chicken |
| Age at Beheading | 5.5 months |
| Date of Beheading | 10 September 1945 |
| Owner | Lloyd Olsen |
| Location | Fruita, Colorado, US |
| Survival Duration | 18 months |
| Cause of Death | Choking on mucus |
| Date of Death | March 1947 |
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What You'll Learn
Mike the Headless Chicken lived for 18 months
Mike the Headless Chicken is famous for living for 18 months after being beheaded. On September 10, 1945, Lloyd Olsen of Fruita, Colorado, planned to eat supper with his mother-in-law and was sent by his wife to bring back a chicken. He chose a five-and-a-half-month-old Wyandotte chicken, which was later named Mike. Although Olsen chopped off the chicken's head with an axe, it miraculously survived.
Mike lived for 18 months without a head, from September 10, 1945, until March 17, 1947. This is an extraordinarily long time for a chicken to survive without a head, and it earned Mike a place in the Guinness World Records. The axe had missed the jugular vein, and a clot prevented Mike from bleeding to death. Most of his brain stem and one ear remained intact, allowing him to stay relatively healthy. Basic functions like breathing and heart rate are controlled by the brain stem, so Mike was able to survive.
After his beheading, Mike became a sensation. His story was featured in newspapers worldwide, and he was even photographed for magazines such as Time and Life. The Olsens began touring the United States with Mike, charging a fee for people to see the headless chicken. At the height of his popularity, Mike was valued at $10,000, equivalent to $131,100 in 2022.
Mike's fame also brought attention to his hometown of Fruita, Colorado. An annual "Mike the Headless Chicken Day" is held in May, and the town celebrates the Headless Chicken Festival every year. Mike's story is a testament to the resilience of chickens and the importance of quick thinking and good luck in achieving the seemingly impossible.
Sadly, Mike's life came to an end in March 1947 while he was in Phoenix, Arizona. The Olsens had accidentally left their feeding and cleaning syringes at a sideshow the previous day, and they were unable to clear the mucus from Mike's throat, causing him to choke and pass away. Despite his tragic end, Mike's legacy lives on through the celebrations and memories he inspired.
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A clot prevented Mike from bleeding to death
Mike the Headless Chicken is famous for surviving for 18 months after being beheaded. On September 10, 1945, Lloyd Olsen of Fruita, Colorado, planned to eat supper with his mother-in-law and was sent out to bring back a chicken. He chose a five-and-a-half-month-old Wyandotte chicken, later named Mike.
The axe removed most of Mike's head but missed his jugular vein, allowing him to survive. Most of his brain stem and one ear remained intact, and a blood clot prevented him from bleeding to death. Basic functions like breathing and heart rate are controlled by the brain stem, so Mike was able to remain quite healthy.
After the beheading, Mike's owner carefully fed him water and liquid food via an eyedropper. It was also important to clear mucus from his throat, which was done with a syringe.
Mike's survival story soon spread, and he became a sensation. His owner took him on tour across the United States, and Mike was even featured in magazines like Time and Life. He was displayed to the public for a fee, and his popularity continued to grow.
However, tragedy struck in March 1947 while Mike was in Phoenix, Arizona. He choked on mucus in his throat, and without his usual syringe to clear it, Olsen couldn't save him. Thus, the world's most famous headless chicken finally died after an incredible 18-month survival.
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Mike's owner fed him with an eyedropper
Mike the Headless Chicken lived for 18 months after being beheaded, surviving because most of his brain stem remained intact, and a blood clot prevented him from bleeding to death. The axe had missed the jugular vein, leaving one ear and most of the brain stem—which controls basic functions like breathing and heart rate—intact.
Mike's owner, Lloyd Olsen, of Fruita, Colorado, USA, fed and watered the headless chicken directly into his gullet using an eyedropper. Lloyd and his wife, Clara, were preparing a batch of 40-50 chickens for market, with Lloyd doing the beheading and Clara plucking and cleaning the chickens. But one chicken, Mike, survived the beheading and lived for 18 months after his head was cut off.
Olsen took care of the chicken by carefully feeding the animal water and liquid food via an eyedropper. It was also important to clear mucus from Mike's throat, which was done with a syringe. Thanks to his unlikely survival, Mike became a sensation, with his story featured in newspapers around the world. The Olsens started touring the United States with Mike, and the animal became a true attraction, being photographed by magazines such as Time and Life.
Mike continued to grow as a normal chicken would and spent time on the farm with the rest of the flock. He would come back to the Fruita farm between attractions for periods of up to a month or two. The story of Mike brought many letters to the small town of Fruita, and the Olsens and the mayor often received mail from citizens interested in Mike.
In March 1947, while staying in a motel in Phoenix, Arizona, Mike choked on mucus in his throat and died. The Olsens had inadvertently left their feeding and cleaning syringes at the sideshow the day before, so they were unable to save Mike.
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Mike became a sideshow attraction
Mike the Headless Chicken, a male Wyandotte chicken, lived for 18 months after being beheaded. Most of his brain stem remained intact, and a blood clot prevented him from bleeding to death.
After the beheading, Mike's owner, Lloyd Olsen, fed and watered him directly into his gullet using an eyedropper. Mike became a sideshow attraction, touring the United States with Olsen and his family. They visited California and Arizona, charging people 25 cents (roughly $3 today) to see Mike.
Newspapers around the world featured Mike's story, and he was photographed by magazines such as Time and Life. At the peak of his fame, Mike reportedly earned his owner the equivalent of $60,000 per year in today's money.
Mike's sideshow career continued until March 1947, when he choked to death in a motel in Phoenix, Arizona. Olsen had inadvertently left the feeding and cleaning syringes at the sideshow the previous day, so he was unable to save Mike. Despite this, Olsen claimed that he had sold the bird, and stories circulated that Mike was still touring as late as 1949.
Today, Mike is remembered in his hometown of Fruita, Colorado, with an annual "Mike the Headless Chicken Day" held in May. The event includes activities such as the "5K Run Like a Headless Chicken Race", egg toss, "Pin the Head on the Chicken", and "Chicken Bingo".
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Mike died in a motel room in Phoenix, Arizona
Mike, a Wyandotte chicken, lived for 18 months after being beheaded, which is a record for a chicken. This was because most of his brain stem remained intact, and a blood clot prevented him from bleeding to death. After the beheading, Mike achieved national fame and his owner, Lloyd Olsen, took him on tour across the United States.
On March 17, 1947, Mike died in a motel room in Phoenix, Arizona. The cause of death was choking on mucus in his throat. Olsen did not have the syringe he usually used to clear Mike's throat, and so was unable to save him.
Olsen claimed that he had sold the bird, and stories of Mike touring the country persisted as late as 1949. However, the true story of Mike's death did not emerge until the 1980s, when Olsen told his grandson, Troy Waters.
Mike's spirit is celebrated annually at the Mike the Headless Chicken Festival in Fruita, Colorado, where he lived. The festival features events such as the "5K Run Like a Headless Chicken Race", egg toss, "Pin the Head on the Chicken", the "Chicken Cluck-Off", and "Chicken Bingo".
Mike's story is a reminder of the biological anomaly that allowed him to survive for so long without a head, as well as a reflection of human curiosity and opportunism.
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Frequently asked questions
The record for the longest survival of a headless chicken is 18 months, held by Mike the Headless Chicken.
Mike was owned by Lloyd Olsen and his wife Clara, who were farmers in Fruita, Colorado.
Most of Mike's head was severed, but his jugular vein and most of his brain stem and one ear remained intact. Basic functions like breathing and heart rate are controlled by the brain stem, so Mike was able to remain quite healthy.
Mike died in a motel room in Phoenix, Arizona, in March 1947. He choked on mucus because his owners had left the syringe they used to clear his throat at another location.
