How Did a Chicken Survive 18 Months Without a Head?

💡 The Answer

• In the 1940s in the USA, a chicken named Mike survived for 18 months after being decapitated.
• The axe missed his jugular vein and left most of his brainstem intact, enabling basic survival functions.
• His owner fed him a mixture of milk and water directly into his oesophagus using an eyedropper.
• Most headless chickens die within minutes — Mike's survival remains one of history's most bizarre biological anomalies.