Pearl, the world’s oldest living chicken, has had a challenging life. She endured a broken leg from a raccoon attack, faced aggression from other hens, battled chicken pox and pneumonia, and now copes with arthritis. Despite her hardships, the resilient 14-year-old hen has clinched the title of the world’s oldest chicken, as documented by Guinness World Records.
Pearl’s owner, Sonya Hull of Little Elm, Texas, shared that her beloved chicken has remained unfazed by her newfound fame. Hull, who personally hatched Pearl in an incubator, described her as always being the underdog among her fellow hens due to the pecking order.
To ensure Pearl’s comfort in her old age, the family decided to move her from the chicken coop to the house. Pearl now spends most of her time in the laundry room, cuddling with a mop, but also enjoys watching TV and receiving neck scratches in the living room.
Despite mobility issues, Pearl seems content, dancing with delight when offered her favorite treats of cherry tomatoes and grapes. She relishes her time outdoors, supervised while digging up slugs, displaying a zest for life that Hull attributes to her love for living as she did when she was younger.
While the average lifespan of an egg-laying hen ranges from six to eight years, the key to longevity for chickens like Pearl seems to be living indoors and receiving ample care and attention. Pearl’s predecessor in the record books, Peanut, lived a pampered life until passing away at 21 years old.
Pearl is considered a cherished family member by Hull, who mentioned that even the grandkids enjoy petting her without fear of being pecked. Remarkably, Pearl recently laid an egg for the first time in three years, possibly spurred by her newfound fame as the world’s oldest chicken.
