“Did you hear the one about the farmer that raised four-legged chickens? He went out of business because they ran too fast to catch.” – Smartalix

The Stuff – Friday 27th October 2006:

The Te Uku-bred Barnevelder chick – hatched at Marlene Dickey’s property at the start of last month – has died.

But it wasn’t the extra legs that led to its death, more likely an extra anus, Mrs Dickey believes.

“He developed two bottoms and I think he got glugged up,” she said.

While she was surprised by Forzie’s death – he weighed a “good pound of butter” and was gaining feathers slowly – it was not totally unexpected, she said.

And it was fun while it lasted.

“He was a bit of a laugh.”

Looking ungainly on its extra legs but twice as cute, the bird was an exception to the rule that chickens with defects are not normally born alive.

He was found dead on Friday and is now in the Dickeys’ freezer waiting to be stuffed.

After he’s been to the taxidermist, the family plan to donate the bird to Auckland Museum.