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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 (May 16th & 17th 2003) in Fruita, Colorado. Don't miss it!www.miketheheadlesschicken.org © All Rights Reserved 2003
City of Fruita Colorado, 325 E. Aspen Fruita, CO 81521
Posted on 05/08/2003 2:07:55 PM PDT by gg188
A woman has confessed to the grisly slaying of a Pakistan-born man, whose headless body was found last week in a shed behind the man's East Memphis home, police said Wednesday.
Ejaz Ahmad, 41, was found by his 11-year-old son and the son's grandmother behind 1730 Sea Isle last Thursday. The son had gone to the home to check on a pet chicken, police said.
According to a medical examiner's report obtained Wednesday, Ahmad was shot in the chest and stabbed many times in the neck and shoulders with a sharp object.
The body, which was wrapped in plastic, had been decapitated, police said. They have not found the head.
The victim was identified by his fingerprints.
The medical examiner's report described the body as moderately decomposed, but did not estimate when Ahmad was killed.
Within two days of discovering the body, homicide detectives had a suspect, a woman in federal custody on another charge.
"The individual in custody has made a statement of admission," said homicide Lt. Joe Scott.
Rather than charge the woman outright, police will seek a grand jury indictment in state court within the next few weeks. Typically, police charge a suspect in order to detain the person, but in this case the suspect already is behind bars so police decided it wasn't necessary to place charges immediately.
"If there was a danger to society, we wouldn't go through the grand jury," Scott said.
Police said they would not name the suspect until she has been charged in Ahmad's death.
A police incident report, however, mentioned a 26-year-old woman as a suspect. That person was convicted on a drug charge in federal court in Jackson, Tenn., in May 2001, according to court records.
She was placed on supervised release, but violated her parole and was to return to federal prison on April 30, according to court records.
"We have everything we need to go forward" with prosecuting the case, Scott said.
Neighbors described Ahmad as a hard-working, good-natured man who ran a store in the Mall of Memphis selling imports from Pakistan.
Jeff Powers, who lives across the street from the victim, said he once gave Ahmad a dog kennel as a cold-weather shelter for a pet goat.
Ahmad and a brother had lived at the address about three years. Three months ago, a blond-haired woman came to live in the house, Powers said.
The Clinton FBI would tell you that he committed suicide.
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