Famous headless fowl feted in Fruita, Colo (12th Annual 'Miracle Mike' Festival)

AP on Yahoo ^ | 5/14/09 | Judith Fowler - ap

[NormsRevenge]

FRUITA, Colo. – Recession. Unemployment. Swine flu. Now's the time for an inspiring story about one headless chicken's will to live.

Residents of Fruita, a western Colorado town of 11,000, are holding their 12th annual festival this weekend for a chicken named Miracle Mike who, according to legend, lived 18 months after a farmer lopped off his head with an ax but left his brain stem, a jugular vein and one ear intact.

[Kirkwood]

“...after a farmer lopped off his head with an ax but left his brain stem, a jugular vein and one ear intact.”

Boudreaux: “Wow, how did he taste?”

Thibodeaux: “Delicious!”

[Vigilanteman]

My brother actually visited this town and saw the monument. The rooster even has his own website.

[Ciexyz]

Is this the one where the rooster died when the farmer took it to show at some county fair but forgot the special tube to feed it.

[PizzaDriver]

Mike was decapitated in 1945 & died in 1947. Yet, this is the 12th Annual Festival.
It took over 50 years to become event-worthy; and the festival isn't tied to the date of his decapitation {September} or of his demise {March}.

[JoeProBono]