sentences.text: Mike the Headless Chicken (April 1945 March 1947) was a Wyandotte rooster that lived for 18 months after its head had been cut off.
sentences.text: Mike
sentences.text: the
sentences.text: Headless
sentences.text: Chicken
sentences.text: (
sentences.text: April
sentences.text: 1945
sentences.text: March
sentences.text: 1947
sentences.text: )
sentences.text: was
sentences.text: a
sentences.text: Wyandotte
sentences.text: rooster
sentences.text: that
sentences.text: lived
sentences.text: for
sentences.text: 18
sentences.text: months
sentences.text: after
sentences.text: its
sentences.text: head
sentences.text: had
sentences.text: been
sentences.text: cut
sentences.text: off
sentences.text: .
sentences.text: Thought by many to be a hoax, the bird was taken by its owner to the University of Utah in Salt Lake City to establish its authenticity.
sentences.text: Thought
sentences.text: by
sentences.text: many
sentences.text: to
sentences.text: be
sentences.text: a
sentences.text: hoax
sentences.text: ,
sentences.text: the
sentences.text: bird
sentences.text: was
sentences.text: taken
sentences.text: by
sentences.text: its
sentences.text: owner
sentences.text: to
sentences.text: the
sentences.text: University
sentences.text: of
sentences.text: Utah
sentences.text: in
sentences.text: Salt
sentences.text: Lake
sentences.text: City
sentences.text: to
sentences.text: establish
sentences.text: its
sentences.text: authenticity
sentences.text: .
sentences.text: On Monday, September 10, 1945, farmer Lloyd Olsen of Fruita, Colorado, had his mother-in-law around for supper and was sent out to the yard by his wife to bring back a chicken.
sentences.text: On
sentences.text: Monday
sentences.text: ,
sentences.text: September
sentences.text: 10
sentences.text: ,
sentences.text: 1945
sentences.text: ,
sentences.text: farmer
sentences.text: Lloyd
sentences.text: Olsen
sentences.text: of
sentences.text: Fruita
sentences.text: ,
sentences.text: Colorado
sentences.text: ,
sentences.text: had
sentences.text: his
sentences.text: mother-in-law
sentences.text: around
sentences.text: for
sentences.text: supper
sentences.text: and
sentences.text: was
sentences.text: sent
sentences.text: out
sentences.text: to
sentences.text: the
sentences.text: yard
sentences.text: by
sentences.text: his
sentences.text: wife
sentences.text: to
sentences.text: bring
sentences.text: back
sentences.text: a
sentences.text: chicken
sentences.text: .
sentences.text: Olsen failed to completely decapitate the five-and-a-half month old bird named Mike.
sentences.text: Olsen
sentences.text: failed
sentences.text: to
sentences.text: completely
sentences.text: decapitate
sentences.text: the
sentences.text: five-and-a-half
sentences.text: month
sentences.text: old
sentences.text: bird
sentences.text: named
sentences.text: Mike
sentences.text: .
sentences.text: The axe missed the jugular vein, leaving one ear and most of the brain stem intact.
sentences.text: The
sentences.text: axe
sentences.text: missed
sentences.text: the
sentences.text: jugular
sentences.text: vein
sentences.text: ,
sentences.text: leaving
sentences.text: one
sentences.text: ear
sentences.text: and
sentences.text: most
sentences.text: of
sentences.text: the
sentences.text: brain
sentences.text: stem
sentences.text: intact
sentences.text: .
sentences.text: On the first night after the decapitation Mike slept with his severed head under his wing.
sentences.text: On
sentences.text: the
sentences.text: first
sentences.text: night
sentences.text: after
sentences.text: the
sentences.text: decapitation
sentences.text: Mike
sentences.text: slept
sentences.text: with
sentences.text: his
sentences.text: severed
sentences.text: head
sentences.text: under
sentences.text: his
sentences.text: wing
sentences.text: .
sentences.text: Despite Olsen's botched handiwork, Mike was still able to balance on a perch and walk clumsily; he even attempted to preen and crow, although he could do neither.
sentences.text: Despite
sentences.text: Olsen
sentences.text: 's
sentences.text: botched
sentences.text: handiwork
sentences.text: ,
sentences.text: Mike
sentences.text: was
sentences.text: still
sentences.text: able
sentences.text: to
sentences.text: balance
sentences.text: on
sentences.text: a
sentences.text: perch
sentences.text: and
sentences.text: walk
sentences.text: clumsily
sentences.text: ;
sentences.text: he
sentences.text: even
sentences.text: attempted
sentences.text: to
sentences.text: preen
sentences.text: and
sentences.text: crow
sentences.text: ,
sentences.text: although
sentences.text: he
sentences.text: could
sentences.text: do
sentences.text: neither
sentences.text: .
sentences.text: After the bird did not die, a surprised Mr. Olsen decided to continue to care permanently for Mike, feeding him a mixture of milk and water via an eyedropper; he was also fed small grains of corn.
sentences.text: After
sentences.text: the
sentences.text: bird
sentences.text: did
sentences.text: not
sentences.text: die
sentences.text: ,
sentences.text: a
sentences.text: surprised
sentences.text: Mr.
sentences.text: Olsen
sentences.text: decided
sentences.text: to
sentences.text: continue
sentences.text: to
sentences.text: care
sentences.text: permanently
sentences.text: for
sentences.text: Mike
sentences.text: ,
sentences.text: feeding
sentences.text: him
sentences.text: a
sentences.text: mixture
sentences.text: of
sentences.text: milk
sentences.text: and
sentences.text: water
sentences.text: via
sentences.text: an
sentences.text: eyedropper
sentences.text: ;
sentences.text: he
sentences.text: was
sentences.text: also
sentences.text: fed
sentences.text: small
sentences.text: grains
sentences.text: of
sentences.text: corn
sentences.text: .
sentences.text: Mike occasionally choked on his own mucus, which the Olsen family would clear using a syringe.
sentences.text: Mike
sentences.text: occasionally
sentences.text: choked
sentences.text: on
sentences.text: his
sentences.text: own
sentences.text: mucus
sentences.text: ,
sentences.text: which
sentences.text: the
sentences.text: Olsen
sentences.text: family
sentences.text: would
sentences.text: clear
sentences.text: using
sentences.text: a
sentences.text: syringe
sentences.text: .
sentences.text: When used to his new and unusual center of mass, Mike could easily get himself to the highest perches without falling.
sentences.text: When
sentences.text: used
sentences.text: to
sentences.text: his
sentences.text: new
sentences.text: and
sentences.text: unusual
sentences.text: center
sentences.text: of
sentences.text: mass
sentences.text: ,
sentences.text: Mike
sentences.text: could
sentences.text: easily
sentences.text: get
sentences.text: himself
sentences.text: to
sentences.text: the
sentences.text: highest
sentences.text: perches
sentences.text: without
sentences.text: falling
sentences.text: .
sentences.text: His crowing, though, was less impressive and consisted of a gurgling sound made in his throat, leaving him unable to crow at dawn.
sentences.text: His
sentences.text: crowing
sentences.text: ,
sentences.text: though
sentences.text: ,
sentences.text: was
sentences.text: less
sentences.text: impressive
sentences.text: and
sentences.text: consisted
sentences.text: of
sentences.text: a
sentences.text: gurgling
sentences.text: sound
sentences.text: made
sentences.text: in
sentences.text: his
sentences.text: throat
sentences.text: ,
sentences.text: leaving
sentences.text: him
sentences.text: unable
sentences.text: to
sentences.text: crow
sentences.text: at
sentences.text: dawn
sentences.text: .
sentences.text: Mike also spent his time preening and attempting to peck for food with his neck.
sentences.text: Mike
sentences.text: also
sentences.text: spent
sentences.text: his
sentences.text: time
sentences.text: preening
sentences.text: and
sentences.text: attempting
sentences.text: to
sentences.text: peck
sentences.text: for
sentences.text: food
sentences.text: with
sentences.text: his
sentences.text: neck
sentences.text: .
sentences.text: Being headless did not keep Mike from putting on weight; at the time of his partial beheading he weighed two and a half pounds, but at the time of his death this had increased to nearly eight pounds.
sentences.text: Being
sentences.text: headless
sentences.text: did
sentences.text: not
sentences.text: keep
sentences.text: Mike
sentences.text: from
sentences.text: putting
sentences.text: on
sentences.text: weight
sentences.text: ;
sentences.text: at
sentences.text: the
sentences.text: time
sentences.text: of
sentences.text: his
sentences.text: partial
sentences.text: beheading
sentences.text: he
sentences.text: weighed
sentences.text: two
sentences.text: and
sentences.text: a
sentences.text: half
sentences.text: pounds
sentences.text: ,
sentences.text: but
sentences.text: at
sentences.text: the
sentences.text: time
sentences.text: of
sentences.text: his
sentences.text: death
sentences.text: this
sentences.text: had
sentences.text: increased
sentences.text: to
sentences.text: nearly
sentences.text: eight
sentences.text: pounds
sentences.text: .
sentences.text: Once his fame had been established, Mike began a career of touring sideshows in the company of such other creatures as a two-headed calf.
sentences.text: Once
sentences.text: his
sentences.text: fame
sentences.text: had
sentences.text: been
sentences.text: established
sentences.text: ,
sentences.text: Mike
sentences.text: began
sentences.text: a
sentences.text: career
sentences.text: of
sentences.text: touring
sentences.text: sideshows
sentences.text: in
sentences.text: the
sentences.text: company
sentences.text: of
sentences.text: such
sentences.text: other
sentences.text: creatures
sentences.text: as
sentences.text: a
sentences.text: two-headed
sentences.text: calf
sentences.text: .
sentences.text: He was also photographed for dozens of magazines and papers, featuring in Time and Life magazines.
sentences.text: He
sentences.text: was
sentences.text: also
sentences.text: photographed
sentences.text: for
sentences.text: dozens
sentences.text: of
sentences.text: magazines
sentences.text: and
sentences.text: papers
sentences.text: ,
sentences.text: featuring
sentences.text: in
sentences.text: Time
sentences.text: and
sentences.text: Life
sentences.text: magazines
sentences.text: .
sentences.text: Olsen drew criticism from some for keeping the headless chicken alive.
sentences.text: Olsen
sentences.text: drew
sentences.text: criticism
sentences.text: from
sentences.text: some
sentences.text: for
sentences.text: keeping
sentences.text: the
sentences.text: headless
sentences.text: chicken
sentences.text: alive
sentences.text: .
sentences.text: Mike was on display to the public for an admission cost of 25 cents.
sentences.text: Mike
sentences.text: was
sentences.text: on
sentences.text: display
sentences.text: to
sentences.text: the
sentences.text: public
sentences.text: for
sentences.text: an
sentences.text: admission
sentences.text: cost
sentences.text: of
sentences.text: 25
sentences.text: cents
sentences.text: .
sentences.text: At the height of his popularity the chicken earned princely $4,500 USD per month ($50,000 in 2005 dollars) and was valued at $10,000.
sentences.text: At
sentences.text: the
sentences.text: height
sentences.text: of
sentences.text: his
sentences.text: popularity
sentences.text: the
sentences.text: chicken
sentences.text: earned
sentences.text: princely
sentences.text: $
sentences.text: 4,500
sentences.text: USD
sentences.text: per
sentences.text: month
sentences.text: (
sentences.text: $
sentences.text: 50,000
sentences.text: in
sentences.text: 2005
sentences.text: dollars
sentences.text: )
sentences.text: and
sentences.text: was
sentences.text: valued
sentences.text: at
sentences.text: $
sentences.text: 10,000
sentences.text: .
sentences.text: Olsen's success resulted in a wave of copycat chicken beheadings, but no other chicken lived for more than a day or two.
sentences.text: Olsen
sentences.text: 's
sentences.text: success
sentences.text: resulted
sentences.text: in
sentences.text: a
sentences.text: wave
sentences.text: of
sentences.text: copycat
sentences.text: chicken
sentences.text: beheadings
sentences.text: ,
sentences.text: but
sentences.text: no
sentences.text: other
sentences.text: chicken
sentences.text: lived
sentences.text: for
sentences.text: more
sentences.text: than
sentences.text: a
sentences.text: day
sentences.text: or
sentences.text: two
sentences.text: .
sentences.text: A pickled chicken head was also on display with Mike, but this was not Mike's original head, as a cat had already eaten it.
sentences.text: A
sentences.text: pickled
sentences.text: chicken
sentences.text: head
sentences.text: was
sentences.text: also
sentences.text: on
sentences.text: display
sentences.text: with
sentences.text: Mike
sentences.text: ,
sentences.text: but
sentences.text: this
sentences.text: was
sentences.text: not
sentences.text: Mike
sentences.text: 's
sentences.text: original
sentences.text: head
sentences.text: ,
sentences.text: as
sentences.text: a
sentences.text: cat
sentences.text: had
sentences.text: already
sentences.text: eaten
sentences.text: it
sentences.text: .
sentences.text: Mike was later examined by the officers of several humane societies and was declared to have been free from any suffering.
sentences.text: Mike
sentences.text: was
sentences.text: later
sentences.text: examined
sentences.text: by
sentences.text: the
sentences.text: officers
sentences.text: of
sentences.text: several
sentences.text: humane
sentences.text: societies
sentences.text: and
sentences.text: was
sentences.text: declared
sentences.text: to
sentences.text: have
sentences.text: been
sentences.text: free
sentences.text: from
sentences.text: any
sentences.text: suffering
sentences.text: .
sentences.text: A children's playground chant soon emerged:
sentences.text: A
sentences.text: children
sentences.text: 's
sentences.text: playground
sentences.text: chant
sentences.text: soon
sentences.text: emerged
sentences.text: :
sentences.text: In March 1947, at a motel in Phoenix on a stopover while traveling back home from tour, Mike started choking in the middle of the night.
sentences.text: In
sentences.text: March
sentences.text: 1947
sentences.text: ,
sentences.text: at
sentences.text: a
sentences.text: motel
sentences.text: in
sentences.text: Phoenix
sentences.text: on
sentences.text: a
sentences.text: stopover
sentences.text: while
sentences.text: traveling
sentences.text: back
sentences.text: home
sentences.text: from
sentences.text: tour
sentences.text: ,
sentences.text: Mike
sentences.text: started
sentences.text: choking
sentences.text: in
sentences.text: the
sentences.text: middle
sentences.text: of
sentences.text: the
sentences.text: night
sentences.text: .
sentences.text: As the Olsens had inadvertently left their feeding and cleaning syringes at the sideshow the day before, they were unable to save Mike.
sentences.text: As
sentences.text: the
sentences.text: Olsens
sentences.text: had
sentences.text: inadvertently
sentences.text: left
sentences.text: their
sentences.text: feeding
sentences.text: and
sentences.text: cleaning
sentences.text: syringes
sentences.text: at
sentences.text: the
sentences.text: sideshow
sentences.text: the
sentences.text: day
sentences.text: before
sentences.text: ,
sentences.text: they
sentences.text: were
sentences.text: unable
sentences.text: to
sentences.text: save
sentences.text: Mike
sentences.text: .
sentences.text: Lloyd Olsen claimed that he had sold the bird off, resulting in stories of Mike still touring the country as late as 1949.
sentences.text: Lloyd
sentences.text: Olsen
sentences.text: claimed
sentences.text: that
sentences.text: he
sentences.text: had
sentences.text: sold
sentences.text: the
sentences.text: bird
sentences.text: off
sentences.text: ,
sentences.text: resulting
sentences.text: in
sentences.text: stories
sentences.text: of
sentences.text: Mike
sentences.text: still
sentences.text: touring
sentences.text: the
sentences.text: country
sentences.text: as
sentences.text: late
sentences.text: as
sentences.text: 1949
sentences.text: .
sentences.text: Post mortem, it was determined that the axe blade had missed the carotid artery and a clot had prevented Mike from bleeding to death.
sentences.text: Post
sentences.text: mortem
sentences.text: ,
sentences.text: it
sentences.text: was
sentences.text: determined
sentences.text: that
sentences.text: the
sentences.text: axe
sentences.text: blade
sentences.text: had
sentences.text: missed
sentences.text: the
sentences.text: carotid
sentences.text: artery
sentences.text: and
sentences.text: a
sentences.text: clot
sentences.text: had
sentences.text: prevented
sentences.text: Mike
sentences.text: from
sentences.text: bleeding
sentences.text: to
sentences.text: death
sentences.text: .
sentences.text: Although most of his head was severed, most of his brain stem and one ear was left on his body.
sentences.text: Although
sentences.text: most
sentences.text: of
sentences.text: his
sentences.text: head
sentences.text: was
sentences.text: severed
sentences.text: ,
sentences.text: most
sentences.text: of
sentences.text: his
sentences.text: brain
sentences.text: stem
sentences.text: and
sentences.text: one
sentences.text: ear
sentences.text: was
sentences.text: left
sentences.text: on
sentences.text: his
sentences.text: body
sentences.text: .
sentences.text: 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.
sentences.text: Since
sentences.text: basic
sentences.text: functions
sentences.text: (
sentences.text: breathing
sentences.text: ,
sentences.text: heart-rate
sentences.text: ,
sentences.text: etc
sentences.text: )
sentences.text: as
sentences.text: well
sentences.text: as
sentences.text: most
sentences.text: of
sentences.text: a
sentences.text: chicken
sentences.text: 's
sentences.text: reflex
sentences.text: actions
sentences.text: are
sentences.text: controlled
sentences.text: by
sentences.text: the
sentences.text: brain
sentences.text: stem
sentences.text: ,
sentences.text: Mike
sentences.text: was
sentences.text: able
sentences.text: to
sentences.text: remain
sentences.text: quite
sentences.text: healthy
sentences.text: .
sentences.text: Other sources, including the Guinness Book of World Records, say that the chicken's severed esophagus passage could not take in enough air properly to be able to breathe; and therefore choked to death in the motel.
sentences.text: Other
sentences.text: sources
sentences.text: ,
sentences.text: including
sentences.text: the
sentences.text: Guinness
sentences.text: Book
sentences.text: of
sentences.text: World
sentences.text: Records
sentences.text: ,
sentences.text: say
sentences.text: that
sentences.text: the
sentences.text: chicken
sentences.text: 's
sentences.text: severed
sentences.text: esophagus
sentences.text: passage
sentences.text: could
sentences.text: not
sentences.text: take
sentences.text: in
sentences.text: enough
sentences.text: air
sentences.text: properly
sentences.text: to
sentences.text: be
sentences.text: able
sentences.text: to
sentences.text: breathe
sentences.text: ;
sentences.text: and
sentences.text: therefore
sentences.text: choked
sentences.text: to
sentences.text: death
sentences.text: in
sentences.text: the
sentences.text: motel
sentences.text: .
sentences.text: However, breathing occurs through the trachea, not the esophagus.
sentences.text: However
sentences.text: ,
sentences.text: breathing
sentences.text: occurs
sentences.text: through
sentences.text: the
sentences.text: trachea
sentences.text: ,
sentences.text: not
sentences.text: the
sentences.text: esophagus
sentences.text: .
sentences.text: Mike the Headless Chicken is now an institution in Fruita, Colorado, with an annual " Mike the Headless Chicken Day ", the third weekend of May, starting in 1999.
sentences.text: Mike
sentences.text: the
sentences.text: Headless
sentences.text: Chicken
sentences.text: is
sentences.text: now
sentences.text: an
sentences.text: institution
sentences.text: in
sentences.text: Fruita
sentences.text: ,
sentences.text: Colorado
sentences.text: ,
sentences.text: with
sentences.text: an
sentences.text: annual
sentences.text: "
sentences.text: Mike
sentences.text: the
sentences.text: Headless
sentences.text: Chicken
sentences.text: Day
sentences.text: "
sentences.text: ,
sentences.text: the
sentences.text: third
sentences.text: weekend
sentences.text: of
sentences.text: May
sentences.text: ,
sentences.text: starting
sentences.text: in
sentences.text: 1999
sentences.text: .
sentences.text: 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.
sentences.text: Events
sentences.text: held
sentences.text: include
sentences.text: the
sentences.text: "
sentences.text: 5K
sentences.text: Run
sentences.text: Like
sentences.text: a
sentences.text: Headless
sentences.text: Chicken
sentences.text: Race
sentences.text: "
sentences.text: ,
sentences.text: egg
sentences.text: toss
sentences.text: ,
sentences.text: "
sentences.text: Pin
sentences.text: the
sentences.text: Head
sentences.text: on
sentences.text: the
sentences.text: Chicken
sentences.text: "
sentences.text: ,
sentences.text: the
sentences.text: "
sentences.text: Chicken
sentences.text: Cluck-Off
sentences.text: "
sentences.text: ,
sentences.text: and
sentences.text: "
sentences.text: Chicken
sentences.text: Bingo
sentences.text: "
sentences.text: ,
sentences.text: in
sentences.text: which
sentences.text: chicken
sentences.text: droppings
sentences.text: on
sentences.text: a
sentences.text: numbered
sentences.text: grid
sentences.text: choose
sentences.text: the
sentences.text: numbers
sentences.text: .
text: Mike the Headless Chicken (April 1945 March 1947) was a Wyandotte rooster that lived for 18 months after its head had been cut off. Thought by many to be a hoax, the bird was taken by its owner to the University of Utah in Salt Lake City to establish its authenticity. On Monday, September 10, 1945, farmer Lloyd Olsen of Fruita, Colorado, had his mother-in-law around for supper and was sent out to the yard by his wife to bring back a chicken. Olsen failed to completely decapitate the five-and-a-half month old bird named Mike. The axe missed the jugular vein, leaving one ear and most of the brain stem intact. On the first night after the decapitation Mike slept with his severed head under his wing. Despite Olsen's botched handiwork, Mike was still able to balance on a perch and walk clumsily; he even attempted to preen and crow, although he could do neither. After the bird did not die, a surprised Mr. Olsen decided to continue to care permanently for Mike, feeding him a mixture of milk and water via an eyedropper; he was also fed small grains of corn. Mike occasionally choked on his own mucus, which the Olsen family would clear using a syringe. When used to his new and unusual center of mass, Mike could easily get himself to the highest perches without falling. His crowing, though, was less impressive and consisted of a gurgling sound made in his throat, leaving him unable to crow at dawn. Mike also spent his time preening and attempting to peck for food with his neck. Being headless did not keep Mike from putting on weight; at the time of his partial beheading he weighed two and a half pounds, but at the time of his death this had increased to nearly eight pounds. Once his fame had been established, Mike began a career of touring sideshows in the company of such other creatures as a two-headed calf. He was also photographed for dozens of magazines and papers, featuring in Time and Life magazines. Olsen drew criticism from some for keeping the headless chicken alive. Mike was on display to the public for an admission cost of 25 cents. At the height of his popularity the chicken earned princely $4,500 USD per month ($50,000 in 2005 dollars) and was valued at $10,000. Olsen's success resulted in a wave of copycat chicken beheadings, but no other chicken lived for more than a day or two. A pickled chicken head was also on display with Mike, but this was not Mike's original head, as a cat had already eaten it. Mike was later examined by the officers of several humane societies and was declared to have been free from any suffering. A children's playground chant soon emerged: In March 1947, at a motel in Phoenix on a stopover while traveling back home from tour, Mike started choking in the middle of the night. As the Olsens had inadvertently left their feeding and cleaning syringes at the sideshow the day before, they were unable to save Mike. Lloyd Olsen claimed that he had sold the bird off, resulting in stories of Mike still touring the country as late as 1949. Post mortem, it was determined that the axe blade had missed the carotid artery 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 was 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. Other sources, including the Guinness Book of World Records, say that the chicken's severed esophagus passage could not take in enough air properly to be able to breathe; and therefore choked to death in the motel. However, breathing occurs through the trachea, not the esophagus. Mike the Headless Chicken is now an 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.