Pearl, a 14-year-old hen from Little Elm, Texas, has defied the odds to become the world’s oldest living chicken, according to Guinness World Records.

Her life has been far from easy — she once broke her leg escaping a raccoon, endured bullying from other hens, and battled chicken pox and pneumonia. Now, arthritis causes her to tilt to one side, but she continues to enjoy life with remarkable spirit.
Pearl’s owner, Sonya Hull, hatched her in an incubator and recalls that she was always the smallest and lowest in the flock’s pecking order. As Pearl aged and slowed down, Hull decided to remove her from the coop for her safety, allowing her to live indoors where she could enjoy a calmer, more comfortable environment. Today, Pearl spends most of her time in the laundry room, often curling up next to her unlikely best friend — a mop — but she also ventures into the living room to watch television and receive gentle neck scratches.
Despite her mobility challenges, Pearl is lively and affectionate. She delights in supervised outdoor time, digging for slugs, and dances each morning when offered her favorite snacks: cherry tomatoes and grapes. Hull believes her enduring joy and determination to live as she did in her younger days are part of what has kept her going so long.
With most egg-laying hens living only 6 to 8 years, Pearl’s longevity is exceptional, though not unprecedented among well-cared-for pet chickens. Her predecessor in the Guinness records, Peanut from Michigan, lived to 21 under similarly pampered conditions, enjoying lap time, affection, and a stress-free life.
Pearl, too, is deeply loved by her family. Hull’s grandchildren enjoy petting her, and Pearl is gentle and friendly with everyone. In a surprising twist, perhaps spurred by the excitement of her newfound fame, Pearl laid her first egg in three years just last week. For Hull, Pearl is more than a record-holder — she’s a cherished family member whose resilience and zest for life make her truly remarkable.

Source: www.cbc.ca