Mike the Headless Chicken (April 20, 1945 – March 17, 1947)[1] was a male Wyandotte chicken that lived for 18 months after his head had been cut off. After the loss of his head, Mike achieved national fame until his death in March 1947. In Fruita, Colorado, an annual "Mike the Headless Chicken Day" is held every May.
On September 10, 1945, farmer Lloyd Olsen of Fruita, Colorado, was planning to eat supper with his mother-in-law and was sent out to the yard by his wife to bring back a chicken. Olsen chose a five-and-a-half-month-old Wyandotte chicken named Mike. The axe removed the bulk of the head, but missed the jugular vein, leaving one ear and most of the brain stem intact.[2][3]
Due to Olsen's failed attempt to behead Mike, the chicken was still able to balance on a perch and walk clumsily. He attempted to preen, peck for food, and crow, though with limited success; his "crowing" consisted of a gurgling sound made in his throat.[2] When Mike did not die, Olsen instead decided to care for the bird. He fed it a mixture of milk and water via an eyedropper, and gave it small grains of corn and worms.[2][4]
Fame
Once his fame had been established, Mike began a career of touring sideshows in the company of such other anomalies as a two-headed baby. He was also photographed for dozens of magazines and papers, and was featured in Time and Life magazines.[2] Mike was put on display to the public for an admission cost of 25 cents. At the height of his popularity, the chicken's owner earned $4,500 per month (equivalent to $54,610 in 2021);[5] Mike was valued at $10,000 (equivalent to $121,356 in 2021).[2]
Death
In March 1947, at a motel in Phoenix, Arizona on a stopover while traveling back from tour, Mike started choking in the middle of the night. He had managed to get a kernel of corn in his throat. The Olsens had inadvertently left their feeding and cleaning syringes at the sideshow the day before, and so were unable to save Mike. Olsen claimed that he had sold the bird off, resulting in stories of Mike still touring the country as late as 1949. Other sources say that the chicken's severed trachea could not properly take in enough air to be able to breathe, and he therefore choked to death in the motel.[6]
Explanation of the case
It was determined that the axe had missed the jugular vein[7] and a clot had prevented Mike from bleeding to death. Although most of his head was severed, most of his brain stem and one ear were left on his body. Since basic functions (breathing, heart rate, etc.) as well as most of a chicken's reflex actions are controlled by the brain stem, Mike was able to remain quite healthy. This is a good example of central motor generators enabling basic homeostatic functions to be carried out in the absence of higher brain centres.[7] In addition, birds possess a secondary balance organ in the pelvic region, the lumbosacral organ, which controls walking locomotion virtually independently from the vestibular organ involved in flight.[8] This has been used to explain how a headless chicken can walk and balance, despite the destruction of much of the cranial vestibular system.[9]
Legacy
Mike the Headless Chicken is now a cultural institution in Fruita, Colorado, with an annual "Mike the Headless Chicken Day", the third weekend of May, starting in 1999. Events held include the "5K Run Like a Headless Chicken Race", egg toss, "Pin the Head on the Chicken", the "Chicken Cluck-Off", and "Chicken Bingo", in which chicken droppings on a numbered grid choose the numbers.[10]
Mike the Headless Chicken was an inspiration for the poultry-themed comedy punk band The Radioactive Chicken Heads, serving as the subject of their 2008 song "Headless Mike", for which a music video was filmed. The band also features a Headless Mike puppet which is frequently used in their live shows.[11]
^. Time Inc. October 29, 1945. Archived from the original on January 31, 2009. Retrieved November 13, 2008.
^"Beheaded Chicken Calmly Lives On". Salt Lake Tribune. September 19, 1945. p. 17. from the original on September 11, 2018. Retrieved September 10, 2018 – via Newspapers.com.
^1634–1699: McCusker, J. J. (1997). How Much Is That in Real Money? A Historical Price Index for Use as a Deflator of Money Values in the Economy of the United States: Addenda et Corrigenda(PDF). American Antiquarian Society. 1700–1799: McCusker, J. J. (1992). How Much Is That in Real Money? A Historical Price Index for Use as a Deflator of Money Values in the Economy of the United States(PDF). American Antiquarian Society. 1800–present: Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis. "Consumer Price Index (estimate) 1800–". Retrieved April 16, 2022.
^"The chicken that lived for 18 months without a head". BBC News Online. September 10, 2015. from the original on September 11, 2015. Retrieved September 12, 2015.
^ abLambert, Kelly; Kinsley, Craig; Kinsley, Craig H. (2004). Clinical Neuroscience. Worth Publishers. p. 84. ISBN978-0-7167-5227-1. from the original on September 10, 2020. Retrieved October 12, 2016.
^Necker, R. (2006). "Specializations in the lumbosacral vertebral canal and spinal cord of birds: evidence of a function as a sense organ which is involved in the control of walking". Journal of Comparative Physiology A. 192 (5): 439–448. doi:10.1007/s00359-006-0105-x. PMID 16450117. S2CID 1922751. Retrieved September 10, 2020.
^Daley, Monica A. (June 27–30, 2017). Principles of bipedal locomotion: Sensorimotor and mechanical integration for stability and agility(PDF). The 8th International Symposium on Adaptive Motion of Animals and Machines. Hokkaido University, Sapporo: AMAM. Retrieved September 10, 2020.
^"Mike the Headless Chicken Day". salon.com. from the original on January 31, 2009. Retrieved October 28, 2008.
^. Funny or Die. Archived from the original on August 20, 2016. Retrieved June 22, 2016.
Bibliography
Amy Reiter (1999). "Mike the Headless Chicken more popular than Clinton". Salon. from the original on November 14, 2011. Retrieved March 8, 2008.
Charles Furneaux, executive producer; Gregory Diefenbach, producer; Mark Lewis, producer (2001). (Video). PBS Home Video. Archived from the original on July 1, 2014. Retrieved October 11, 2013.
Silverman, Steve (2001). Einstein's Refrigerator: And Other Stories from the Flip Side of History. Kansas City, Missouri: Andrews McMeel Publishing. ISBN0-7407-1419-8.
mike, headless, chicken, april, 1945, march, 1947, male, wyandotte, chicken, that, lived, months, after, head, been, after, loss, head, mike, achieved, national, fame, until, death, march, 1947, fruita, colorado, annual, held, every, mikeother, name, miracle, . Mike the Headless Chicken April 20 1945 March 17 1947 1 was a male Wyandotte chicken that lived for 18 months after his head had been cut off After the loss of his head Mike achieved national fame until his death in March 1947 In Fruita Colorado an annual Mike the Headless Chicken Day is held every May MikeOther name s Miracle MikeSpeciesGallus gallus domesticusBreedWyandotteSexMaleHatchedApril 20 1945Fruita Colorado U S DiedMarch 17 1947 aged 23 months Phoenix Arizona U S OwnerLloyd OlsenAppearanceSideshows Contents 1 Beheading 2 Fame 3 Death 4 Explanation of the case 5 Legacy 6 See also 7 References 8 Bibliography 9 External linksBeheadingOn September 10 1945 farmer Lloyd Olsen of Fruita Colorado was planning to eat supper with his mother in law and was sent out to the yard by his wife to bring back a chicken Olsen chose a five and a half month old Wyandotte chicken named Mike The axe removed the bulk of the head but missed the jugular vein leaving one ear and most of the brain stem intact 2 3 Due to Olsen s failed attempt to behead Mike the chicken was still able to balance on a perch and walk clumsily He attempted to preen peck for food and crow though with limited success his crowing consisted of a gurgling sound made in his throat 2 When Mike did not die Olsen instead decided to care for the bird He fed it a mixture of milk and water via an eyedropper and gave it small grains of corn and worms 2 4 FameOnce his fame had been established Mike began a career of touring sideshows in the company of such other anomalies as a two headed baby He was also photographed for dozens of magazines and papers and was featured in Time and Life magazines 2 Mike was put on display to the public for an admission cost of 25 cents At the height of his popularity the chicken s owner earned 4 500 per month equivalent to 54 610 in 2021 5 Mike was valued at 10 000 equivalent to 121 356 in 2021 2 DeathIn March 1947 at a motel in Phoenix Arizona on a stopover while traveling back from tour Mike started choking in the middle of the night He had managed to get a kernel of corn in his throat The Olsens had inadvertently left their feeding and cleaning syringes at the sideshow the day before and so were unable to save Mike Olsen claimed that he had sold the bird off resulting in stories of Mike still touring the country as late as 1949 Other sources say that the chicken s severed trachea could not properly take in enough air to be able to breathe and he therefore choked to death in the motel 6 Explanation of the caseIt was determined that the axe had missed the jugular vein 7 and a clot had prevented Mike from bleeding to death Although most of his head was severed most of his brain stem and one ear were left on his body Since basic functions breathing heart rate etc as well as most of a chicken s reflex actions are controlled by the brain stem Mike was able to remain quite healthy This is a good example of central motor generators enabling basic homeostatic functions to be carried out in the absence of higher brain centres 7 In addition birds possess a secondary balance organ in the pelvic region the lumbosacral organ which controls walking locomotion virtually independently from the vestibular organ involved in flight 8 This has been used to explain how a headless chicken can walk and balance despite the destruction of much of the cranial vestibular system 9 LegacyMike the Headless Chicken is now a cultural institution in Fruita Colorado with an annual Mike the Headless Chicken Day the third weekend of May starting in 1999 Events held include the 5K Run Like a Headless Chicken Race egg toss Pin the Head on the Chicken the Chicken Cluck Off and Chicken Bingo in which chicken droppings on a numbered grid choose the numbers 10 Mike the Headless Chicken was an inspiration for the poultry themed comedy punk band The Radioactive Chicken Heads serving as the subject of their 2008 song Headless Mike for which a music video was filmed The band also features a Headless Mike puppet which is frequently used in their live shows 11 See alsoList of individual birdsReferences Mike s Story Mike the Headless Chicken 2007 Archived from the original on May 26 2012 Retrieved May 28 2012 a b c d e Mitchinson John Lloyd John 2007 The Book of General Ignorance Crown pp 7 8 ISBN 978 0 307 40551 7 Archived from the original on September 10 2020 Retrieved September 10 2020 The Rooster Time Inc October 29 1945 Archived from the original on January 31 2009 Retrieved November 13 2008 Beheaded Chicken Calmly Lives On Salt Lake Tribune September 19 1945 p 17 Archived from the original on September 11 2018 Retrieved September 10 2018 via Newspapers com 1634 1699 McCusker J J 1997 How Much Is That in Real Money A Historical Price Index for Use as a Deflator of Money Values in the Economy of the United States Addenda et Corrigenda PDF American Antiquarian Society 1700 1799 McCusker J J 1992 How Much Is That in Real Money A Historical Price Index for Use as a Deflator of Money Values in the Economy of the United States PDF American Antiquarian Society 1800 present Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis Consumer Price Index estimate 1800 Retrieved April 16 2022 The chicken that lived for 18 months without a head BBC News Online September 10 2015 Archived from the original on September 11 2015 Retrieved September 12 2015 a b Lambert Kelly Kinsley Craig Kinsley Craig H 2004 Clinical Neuroscience Worth Publishers p 84 ISBN 978 0 7167 5227 1 Archived from the original on September 10 2020 Retrieved October 12 2016 Necker R 2006 Specializations in the lumbosacral vertebral canal and spinal cord of birds evidence of a function as a sense organ which is involved in the control of walking Journal of Comparative Physiology A 192 5 439 448 doi 10 1007 s00359 006 0105 x PMID 16450117 S2CID 1922751 Retrieved September 10 2020 Daley Monica A June 27 30 2017 Principles of bipedal locomotion Sensorimotor and mechanical integration for stability and agility PDF The 8th International Symposium on Adaptive Motion of Animals and Machines Hokkaido University Sapporo AMAM Retrieved September 10 2020 Mike the Headless Chicken Day salon com Archived from the original on January 31 2009 Retrieved October 28 2008 The Radioactive Chicken Heads Headless Mike Funny or Die Archived from the original on August 20 2016 Retrieved June 22 2016 BibliographyAmy Reiter 1999 Mike the Headless Chicken more popular than Clinton Salon Archived from the original on November 14 2011 Retrieved March 8 2008 Charles Furneaux executive producer Gregory Diefenbach producer Mark Lewis producer 2001 The Natural History of the Chicken Video PBS Home Video Archived from the original on July 1 2014 Retrieved October 11 2013 Silverman Steve 2001 Einstein s Refrigerator And Other Stories from the Flip Side of History Kansas City Missouri Andrews McMeel Publishing ISBN 0 7407 1419 8 External linksMike the Headless Chicken org at City of Fruita Is It Possible for a Chicken to Live with Its Head Cut Off at The Straight Dope Mike the Headless Chicken at Life magazine Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Mike the Headless Chicken amp oldid 1111597104, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
