Exploding Chickens

Spontaneously exploding chickens startle German farmer.

The Ogden Standard - Nov 17, 1950

Farmer Reports Hens Explode With Loud Bang
LUNEBERG, Germany, Nov 17 (UP) — An excited farmer told police today that some of his chickens "exploded with a loud bang while running across the barnyard."
An investigation showed that the chickens ate bits of carbide left behind by allied soldiers during fall maneuvers, later drank some water and the resulting gas blew them to bits.

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Posted By: Alex - Wed Jul 01, 2015
Category: Animals | Farming | Explosives | 1950s

Comments

I'm not buying it. Assuming by the description that the substance involved is calcium carbide (fairly common), when exposed to water it gives off acetylene gas which requires a spark source to initiate combustion. The most one could expect here would be chicken farts. Sounds more like Farmer Fritz had a mishap with his chickens and wanted the U.S. Army to pay for them by making this wild claim.

Posted by KDP on 07/01/15 at 05:05 PM

I like my cock blown but this is ridiculous.

Posted by BrokeDad in Midwest US on 07/01/15 at 05:58 PM

KDP, as I understand it, birds cannot pass gas. They say if you feed sea gulls Alka-Seltzer tablets they will explode too due to this.

Posted by Patty in Ohio, USA on 07/01/15 at 07:02 PM

Here's a link to a story we read in grade 4.
http://www.online-literature.com/stephen-leacock/literary-lapses/10/

Posted by BMN on 07/01/15 at 10:38 PM

That was fun, BMN. As I was reading I got to thinking about the meal gum scene from the "Willy Wonka" movie (Gene Wilder version).

Posted by KDP on 07/02/15 at 10:03 AM

Bits and Pieces

Posted by Expat47 in Athens, Greece on 07/03/15 at 12:40 AM

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