The chicken crosses the road…and gets stuck

SOMERVILLE, Mass. (WHDH) -- We may not know why a chicken in Somerville crossed the road, but we do know it got stuck in the snow on the other side.

But luckily for this bird, a Somerville police officer was willing to stick his neck out, and he rushed in just in time to make a rare rescue Tuesday night.

"There’s a live chicken stuck in the snow bank," someone told a 911 dispatcher.

Officer Marc Difava came to the rescue.

“When we showed up the chicken was just laying there,” said Officer Difava.

It was a lively bird; it took two officers to rein it in.

“In my 26-year career, I’ve never heard of a call for a chicken, especially stuck in a snow bank. This is a first,” said Officer Cabral.

At Somerville’s Animal Control, there was another first; the lost hen laid an egg.

7News crossed the road and found the owner of the chicken.

“The owner is a 12-year-old boy named Aidan -- or at least that’s the one that’s supposed to be taking care of them,” said Deborah Thiebald, owner’s mother.

“That’s what my dad likes to think, but it’s really his project but he puts all the responsibility on me. I don’t like it one bit; he says he’s teaching me a lesson,” Aidan Thiebald said.

Turns out, last week's blizzard tore open Aidan's coop and the chicken flew away.

Boy and bird were finally re-united Wednesday afternoon. After a little game of duck, duck, goose, the bird was finally tucked away safely.

And for Animal Control, the chicken left a shell-coated gift.