Sophie Bennett
In the 1940s, a chicken named Mike lived for 18 months without a head—the longest any chicken has lived without one. Mike's jugular vein and most of his brain stem remained intact, allowing him to breathe and perform other basic functions. He was fed with an eyedropper through the stump of his neck. Mike's story is so remarkable that the citizens of his hometown, Fruita, Colorado, hold an annual Headless Chicken festival in May.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Name of the chicken | Mike |
| Species | Male Wyandotte chicken |
| Date of beheading | September 10, 1945 |
| Duration survived without head | 18 months |
| Cause of survival | Most of the brain stem remained intact, and a blood clot prevented bleeding to death |
| Food | Milk and water mixture via an eyedropper |
| Cause of death | Choked on a kernel of corn |
| Date of death | March 17, 1947 |
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What You'll Learn
Mike the Headless Chicken lived for 18 months
In 1945, a chicken named Mike lived for 18 months without a head. This extraordinary feat has left people wondering how exactly he managed to survive for so long after being beheaded. On September 10, 1945, farmer Lloyd Olsen of Fruita, Colorado, was planning to eat supper with his mother-in-law and was sent out by his wife to bring back a chicken. He chose a five-and-a-half-month-old Wyandotte chicken named Mike. Olsen decapitated Mike with an axe, removing most of his head, but miraculously, the chicken did not die.
The axe blow removed the bulk of Mike's head, including his beak, face, eyes, and an ear. However, it missed the jugular vein, and a blood clot prevented him from bleeding to death. Additionally, most of his brain stem remained intact, which was crucial for his survival. The brain stem controls basic functions such as breathing, heart rate, and other reflex actions. With these essential functions intact, Mike was able to stay relatively healthy.
After realizing that Mike was still alive, Lloyd Olsen decided to care for the bird. He fed him a mixture of milk and water through an eyedropper and gave him small grains of corn and worms. Word spread around Fruita about the miraculous headless bird, and soon a sideshow promoter named Hope Wade travelled from Salt Lake City, Utah to see it. Wade proposed that Olsen take Mike on the sideshow circuit to make some money.
Mike's fame grew, and he began touring sideshows and appearing in magazines and newspapers. He was even featured in Time and Life magazines. At the height of his popularity, Mike's owner earned $4,500 per month, and Mike himself was valued at $10,000. Mike's story inspired a poultry-themed comedy punk band called the Radioactive Chicken Heads, who released a song called "Headless Mike" in 2008. In his hometown of Fruita, Colorado, an annual ""Mike the Headless Chicken Day" is held in May to commemorate his extraordinary life.
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Mike's brain stem remained intact
In 1945, a chicken named Mike lived for 18 months without a head. This was due to the axe missing the jugular vein and leaving most of his brain stem and one ear attached to his body.
The brain stem controls essential functions such as breathing, heart rate, hunger, and digestion. With these functions intact, Mike was able to remain quite healthy. In addition, birds possess a secondary balance organ in the pelvic region, the lumbosacral organ, which controls walking locomotion independently from the vestibular organ involved in flight. This allowed Mike to balance and walk, despite lacking most of his head.
Mike's owners, Lloyd and Clara Olsen, cared for him and fed him a mixture of milk and water through an eyedropper. They also gave him small grains of corn and worms. Word spread about Mike, and he became a local celebrity. He was even put on display for people to see, with admission costing 25 cents. At the height of his popularity, Mike's owners earned $4,500 per month, and he was valued at $10,000.
Mike's longevity without a head was due to the fortunate placement of the axe blow, which left his brain stem largely intact. This allowed him to survive and function, even without most of his head. Mike's case is a fascinating example of how essential functions can be maintained even with significant brain damage.
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A blood clot prevented Mike from bleeding to death
In 1945, a chicken named Mike lived for 18 months without a head—the longest recorded time for a chicken to survive without a head. Mike kept his head (or rather, lost it) due to a combination of factors, including a lucky blow from the axe and a blood clot that prevented him from bleeding to death.
On September 10, 1945, Lloyd Olsen of Fruita, Colorado, set out to bring back a chicken for supper with his mother-in-law. The chicken he chose was a five-and-a-half-month-old Wyandotte rooster named Mike. Olsen's wife, Clara, usually cleaned the chickens after he decapitated them with his hatchet, but this time, something went differently. Despite Olsen's best efforts, Mike did not behave like the rest of the beheaded chickens. Instead of dying, he kicked and ran.
The next morning, Olsen found Mike alive and walking around. Word spread about the miraculous headless bird, and soon, Mike became a local celebrity. It was discovered that the axe blow had missed Mike's jugular vein, leaving one ear and most of his brain stem intact. The brain stem controls essential functions such as breathing, heart rate, and most of a chicken's reflex actions, allowing Mike to survive despite his severe injury.
In addition to the intact brain stem, a timely blood clot also played a crucial role in Mike's survival. The clot prevented Mike from bleeding to death immediately after the beheading. This, coupled with the remaining brain functions, allowed Mike to live a relatively healthy life for 18 months. During this time, he toured sideshows and was featured in magazines and newspapers, even appearing in Time and Life magazines.
Mike's fame brought attention and financial gain to his owners, who cared for him and fed him a mixture of milk and water through an eyedropper. Unfortunately, Mike met an untimely end while on tour when his owners accidentally left behind the eyedropper, causing him to choke on his own mucus and spit. Despite his tragic end, Mike's story remains a remarkable example of a chicken's resilience and the power of a well-timed blood clot.
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Mike was fed with an eyedropper
In the 1940s, a chicken named Mike lived for 18 months without a head—the longest recorded time for a chicken to survive without a head. Mike was able to survive because the axe missed his jugular vein, and a blood clot prevented him from bleeding to death. Additionally, most of his brain stem and one ear remained intact, allowing him to maintain basic functions like breathing, heart rate, and reflex actions.
After Mike's beheading, his owner, Lloyd Olsen, decided to care for the bird. Recognizing the potential attraction he could offer, Olsen spent the next 18 months exhibiting Mike at fairs, carnivals, and other public events. To keep Mike alive, Olsen fed him a mixture of milk and water through an eyedropper, dripping the liquid directly into his oesophagus or neck stump. Olsen also provided Mike with small grains of corn and worms.
Olsen had to pay special attention to Mike's health, including clearing mucus from his throat with a syringe. Unfortunately, on a fateful night in March 1947, Olsen was woken by the sound of Mike choking in his motel room in Phoenix, Arizona. Tragically, Olsen had left the syringe at the sideshow the previous day, and despite his frantic search, he could not find an alternative in time to save Mike's life.
Mike's story is a remarkable example of a chicken's resilience and the resourcefulness of his caretaker. The survival of Mike, even without a head, showcases the fascinating biology of birds and has left a lasting impression, with an annual "Mike the Headless Chicken Day" celebrated in his hometown of Fruita, Colorado.
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Mike toured sideshows and became famous
In 1945, a chicken named Mike became famous after surviving for 18 months without a head. Mike's owner, Lloyd Olsen, had attempted to behead the chicken but missed the jugular vein, leaving one ear and most of the brain stem intact. This allowed Mike to remain relatively healthy and carry out basic functions such as breathing, heart rate, and some reflex actions.
As news of Mike spread, a sideshow promoter named Hope Wade travelled from Utah to Colorado to see the bird. Wade proposed that Olsen take Mike on the sideshow circuit to make some money. Olsen agreed, and Mike began his career as a sideshow attraction.
Mike toured the country, astonishing audiences with his headless state. He was put on display for an admission cost of 25 cents, and his owner earned a substantial income from Mike's fame. The headless chicken was also photographed for magazines and papers, including Time and Life magazines.
At the height of his popularity, Mike was valued at $10,000. However, his fame was short-lived. In March 1947, while on a national tour, Mike choked to death on his mucus in a motel room in Phoenix, Arizona.
Despite his untimely demise, Mike's legacy endured. He inspired a poultry-themed comedy punk band called the Radioactive Chicken Heads, who even featured a Headless Mike puppet in their live shows. In Fruita, Colorado, Mike's hometown, an annual "Mike the Headless Chicken Day" is held in May to commemorate the remarkable bird.
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Frequently asked questions
18 months.
Mike.
Farmer Lloyd Olsen and his wife Clara.
The axe missed the jugular vein and a clot prevented Mike from bleeding to death. Most of his brain stem and one ear were left intact, allowing basic functions like breathing and heart rate to continue.
