# What in the world.......Headless chicken?!? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [August 29, 2002, 1:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-in-the-world-headless-chicken/126079 "2002-08-29T13:30:52Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 8\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Nishroch\_Order](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/b4bc9f/32.png) [@Nishroch\_Order](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nishroch_Order)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2002, 1:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-in-the-world-headless-chicken/126079/1 "2002-08-29T13:30:52Z")
Can chicken really survive without a head? How in the world can something with a head survive without one? Wouldn’t the heart stop pumping and all?😕 Or is this just a big joke 😕 [http://www.miketheheadlesschicken.org/Mike%20Story.htm](http://www.miketheheadlesschicken.org/Mike%20Story.htm) ---
**Author:** ![AndrewL](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/3d9bf3/32.png) [@AndrewL](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AndrewL)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2002, 1:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-in-the-world-headless-chicken/126079/2 "2002-08-29T13:34:16Z")
It wasn’t completely headless, apparantly. Most of the brain was still there, in particular the brainstem which controls breathing and balance. More of a “faceless” than “headless” chicken, really. ---
**Author:** ![dantheman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dantheman/32/9421_2.png) [@dantheman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dantheman)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2002, 1:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-in-the-world-headless-chicken/126079/3 "2002-08-29T13:35:21Z")
One of my favorite stories… Good ol’ Mike! I sure could go for a McNugget now. ---
**Author:** ![barbitu8](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/839c29/32.png) [@barbitu8](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/barbitu8)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2002, 1:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-in-the-world-headless-chicken/126079/4 "2002-08-29T13:36:35Z")
> [@](#): > > 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. I believe that answers your question. Obviously, the chicken was not capable of any thinking, if ever it were, but the reflex actions necessary for life were still intact: breathing and cardiac rhythmia. ---
**Author:** ![Nishroch\_Order](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/b4bc9f/32.png) [@Nishroch\_Order](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nishroch_Order)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2002, 1:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-in-the-world-headless-chicken/126079/5 "2002-08-29T13:45:51Z")
But wouldn’t things like pecking on the floor be something more of choice than instinct?..So can a human also “live” like that chicken if all except the brain stem was cut? ---
**Author:** ![USCDiver](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/uscdiver/32/354_2.png) [@USCDiver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/USCDiver)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2002, 5:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-in-the-world-headless-chicken/126079/6 "2002-08-29T17:25:15Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Nishroch Order \* > \*\*But wouldn’t things like pecking on the floor be something more of choice than instinct?..So can a human also “live” like that chicken if all except the brain stem was cut? \*\* I’d say that pretty much everything a chicken does is instinctual. And yes, humans can survive with just a brain stem. Anencephalic babies for instance. ---
**Author:** ![Smeghead](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f1d935/32.png) [@Smeghead](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Smeghead)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2002, 5:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-in-the-world-headless-chicken/126079/7 "2002-08-29T17:31:35Z")
Cecil did an article on Mike, but I’m too lazy to find a link for you. ---
**Author:** ![Colibri](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colibri/32/1841_2.png) [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2002, 6:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-in-the-world-headless-chicken/126079/8 "2002-08-29T18:37:43Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Smeghead \* > \*\*Cecil did an article on Mike, but I’m too lazy to find a link for you. \*\* [http://www.straightdope.com/classics/a4\_086.html](http://www.straightdope.com/classics/a4_086.html)