Hen Gives Birth to Live Chick Without the Egg

Recommended Videos

Over in Sri Lanka, a hen gave birth to a live chick. You might recall something about how hens lay eggs, which they then incubate outside of their body, and that they don’t give birth to live anythings at all.

Unfortunately, the hen died, but the chick is fully formed and completely healthy. The explanation for the “live” birth is a fairly simple one; a veterinarian examined the hen and found that the chick’s egg was fertilized inside the hen, but then stayed inside the hen’s body until it hatched. The egg was incubated for 21 days inside the hen before it hatched. As one may have guessed, the hen died from internal wounds.

Feel free to make however many chicken or the egg jokes you feel this news tidbit requires, but also keep in mind that if we’re witnessing some new stage of evolution where chickens give live birth, we’re either entering a future without delicious breakfast materials, or one where we kill chickens to extract the eggs from inside their bodies.

(via BBC News)

Relevant to your interests


The Mary Sue is supported by our audience. When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn a small affiliate commission. Learn more
related content
Read Article Stop Telling Me To Look Between Letters on a Keyboard
Poor Hayao Miyazaki. He's had enough.
Read Article Your Handy Guide to the Monsters That the Fourth Wing Heroes Are Fighting
cover art title for Fourth Wing by Rebecca Yarros
Read Article BeyoncĂ©’s ‘Cowboy Carter’ Ranked by How I Feel Today
Beyonce in a cowboy hat posing by leaning backwards
Read Article Here’s the Lowdown on Mackenzie in ‘Bluey’
Jack, Rusty, and Mackenzie stand in a rowboat in the middle of a field.
Read Article We’re Ranking the 10 Best Ben and Jerry’s Flavors, Just in Time For Summer
Ben & Jerry's Phish Food
Related Content
Read Article Stop Telling Me To Look Between Letters on a Keyboard
Poor Hayao Miyazaki. He's had enough.
Read Article Your Handy Guide to the Monsters That the Fourth Wing Heroes Are Fighting
cover art title for Fourth Wing by Rebecca Yarros
Read Article BeyoncĂ©’s ‘Cowboy Carter’ Ranked by How I Feel Today
Beyonce in a cowboy hat posing by leaning backwards
Read Article Here’s the Lowdown on Mackenzie in ‘Bluey’
Jack, Rusty, and Mackenzie stand in a rowboat in the middle of a field.
Read Article We’re Ranking the 10 Best Ben and Jerry’s Flavors, Just in Time For Summer
Ben & Jerry's Phish Food