Mike, the Headless Chicken (無頭雞「麥克」)

Source: http://www.miketheheadlesschicken.org[/COLOR]

The Amazing, true story of this famous fowl dates back to September 10, 1945 when Mike, a young Wyandotte rooster, was about to become the dinner of Fruita, Colorado, farmer Lloyd Olsen.

With a sharp ax in hand, Mr. Olsen firmly held Mike, preparing to make the bird ready for his wife Clara's cooking pot. Mr. Olsen swung the implement, thereby lopping off poor Mike's head. Mike shook off the event, then continued trying to peck for food.

Mike's will to live remains an inspiration. It is a great comfort to know you can live a normal life, even after you have lost your mind.

Thanks, Mike![/FONT][/SIZE][/COLOR]

September 10th, 1945 finds a strapping (but tender) five and a half month old Wyandotte rooster pecking through the dust of Fruita, Colorado. The unsuspecting bird had never looked so delicious as he did that, now famous, day. Clara Olsen was planning on featuring the plump chicken in the evening meal. Husband Lloyd Olsen was sent out, on a very routine mission, to prepare the designated fryer for the pan. Nothing about this task turned out to be routine. Lloyd knew his Mother in Law would be dining with them and would savor the neck. He positioned his ax precisely, estimating just the right tolerances, to leave a generous neck bone. "It was as important to Suck-Up to your Mother in Law in the 40's as it is today." A skillful blow was executed and the chicken staggered around like most freshly terminated poultry.

Then the determined bird shook off the traumatic event and never looked back. Mike (it is unclear when the famous rooster took on the name) returned to his job of being a chicken. He pecked for food and preened his feathers just like the rest of his barnyard buddies.

When Olsen found Mike the next morning, sleeping with his "head" under his wing, he decided that if Mike had that much will to live, he would figure out a way to feed and water him. With an eyedropper Mike was given grain and water. It was becoming obvious that Mike was special. A week into Mike's new life Olsen packed him up and took him 250 miles to the University of Utah in Salt Lake City . The skeptical scientists were eager to answer all the questions regarding Mike's amazing ability to survive with no head. It was determined that ax blade had missed the jugular vein and a clot had prevented Mike from bleeding to death. Although most of his head was in a jar, most of his brain stem and one ear was left on his body. Since most of a chicken's reflex actions are controlled by the brain stem Mike was able to remain quite healthy.




In the 18 MONTHS that Mike lived as "The Headless Wonder Chicken" he grew from a mere 2 1/2 lbs. to nearly 8 lbs. In a Gayle Meyer interview Olsen said Mike was a "robust chicken - a fine specimen of a chicken except for not having a head." Some longtime Fruita residents, gathered at the Monument Cafe for coffee, also remember Mike - "he was a big fat chicken who didn't know he didn't have a head" - "he seemed as happy as any other chicken." Mike's excellent state of health made it difficult for animal-rights activists to garner much of a following. Even now the town of Fruita celebrates Mike's impressive will to live, not the nature of his handicap. Miracle Mike took on a manager, and with the Olsens in tow, set out on a national tour. Curious sideshow patrons in New York , Atlantic City , Los Angeles , and San Diego lined up to pay 25 cents to see Mike. The "Wonder Chicken" was valued at $10,000.00 and insured for the same. His fame and fortune would earn him recognition in Life and Time Magazines. It goes without saying there was a Guinness World Record in all this. While returning from one of these road trips the Olsens stopped at a motel in the Arizona desert. In the middle of the night Mike began to choke. Unable to find the eyedropper used to clear Mike's open esophagus Miracle Mike passed on.

Now, Mike's spirit is celebrated the third weekend in May.

無頭雞的傳奇故事來自美國科羅拉多州的弗如塔小鎮。麥克（無頭雞）是一隻被斬掉頭部后，但依然生存了18個月的公雞。為了慶祝無頭雞麥克大無畏的氣概，該鎮每年5月都會為它舉辦慶祝活動。
1945年住在美國科羅拉多州Fruita市的農夫奧臣(Lloyd Olsen)，他宴請岳母共餐，他妻子自圍欄帶回一隻五個半月大的公雞作食物，宰殺該雞作為食物。

由於他的岳母喜歡吃雞頸，於是他斬雞頭時意外留下公雞的一隻耳朵和大部份腦幹。這隻雞剛開始反應很劇烈，但不久后便可正常行走，好像什麼事都沒發生過。

因此奧臣留下了麥克的性命，免於它成為岳母的盤中之物。

儘管奧臣的補救手段拙劣，但無頭雞麥克能平衡、笨拙地走到棲息處；它甚至想整理羽毛。明顯地，沒有了頭，麥克永遠不能再整理羽毛了。麥克沒有死之後，驚奇的殺雞兇手奧臣決定永遠照顧麥克，他通過滴眼藥水的小瓶以牛奶和水混合物哺養麥克，間中也加上小粒的粟米等五穀類。假若不幸地，麥克的食道出入口偶爾被黏液堵塞，奧臣家人會使用注射器清除。
　　
麥克的頭去掉了，不過仍能走到高高的雞籠而沒有跌下。它也會雞啼，但只能從喉頭髮出微弱的啞然聲響，無法在黎明高聲啼鳴。

麥克雖然頭被砍掉了，但重量沒有停止增加；奧臣宣稱麥克斷頭時只有大約2又1/2磅，到它死亡之時，竟增加到幾乎8磅重。

許多人認為這不過是騙局，因此其主人把它帶到位於鹽湖城的猶他大學檢查並證實這不是騙局，但醫生髮現麥克雖然被斬首，可能因為有一根關鍵的神經未被觸及，麥克真的是一隻被斬首並且依然生存的雞。

無頭雞麥克不死的消息傳開，人們不禁嘖嘖稱奇。

來自紐約、亞特蘭大、洛杉磯及聖地亞哥紛紛組團前去觀賞。不過公幸吹鉸罌耍匭虢?5分美元的入場費用，它為主人奧臣賺得4500美元一個月。麥克還是各種各樣的雜誌和報紙報道的主題，甚至上了時代周刊和生命雜誌。很多爭取動物權益者大肆批評奧臣，認為他應該給麥克一個了結，而非讓它繼續活受罪。
　　
在1947年3月，麥克因黏液堵塞死亡。

今年5月20-21日的慶祝活動包括現場音樂會、飛行表演和主題為「像無頭雞那樣健步」的5英里賽跑。

詳情請見www.miketheheadlesschicken.org。