Stowaway chicken reunited with owner after catching 13-mile ride

HINESBURG, Vt. (WCAX/Gray News) – It’s common knowledge that chickens can’t fly, but that didn’t stop a hen in Vermont from trekking 13 miles away from home.

Amelia the chicken typically spends her day doing normal chicken things, like digging up dirt, looking for food or hanging with her feathered friends. She also loves snuggles from her human mom, Rebecca Thibeault.

“I raised them from very small,” Thibeault told WCAX.

It seems Amelia got tired of the country life and flew the coop for a day in the city.

“I was very sad that she was missing,” Thibeault said.

Somehow Amelia climbed into a tiny compartment in the undercarriage of a truck and took a 13-mile ride to downtown Burlington, Vermont.

Lo Fasano had just finished a cup of coffee on a morning walk in the area when she spotted the chicken. She tried calling rehabilitators and police to get Amelia help.

“They said they don’t do chickens,” Fasano said.

So, she took Amelia home and gave her food and a place to nest. Then she turned to social media in an effort to find the chicken’s owner.

“Even though it was a long shot, I had hope,” Fasano said.

Fasano’s hope paid off. A Facebook post led her to Amelia’s family who was worried sick about the wayward hen. They connected and got the bird home.

“I think about her and I’m really happy it had a happy ending,” Fasano said.

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