AILSA CHANG, HOST:
The oldest chicken in the world lives in Portland, Maine.
(SOUNDBITE OF CHICKEN CLUCKING)
CHANG: That gentle, sweet sound is Gertie. She is 15 years old. She is blind. And reportedly, she loves jazz music. Frank Turek is Gertie's caretaker, and after sending in all the evidence to support his claim to this title, he heard back this month from Guinness World Records, letting him know the record is official. Frank and Gertie the hen join me now. Welcome and congratulations to both of you, especially to you, Gertie.
FRANK TUREK: Yeah.
(SOUNDBITE OF CHICKEN SQUEAKING)
CHANG: (Laughter).
TUREK: Yeah, she's perked up.
CHANG: Wait. Did you just tell me that she's in the middle of a nap right now? Is that what we're listening to? Is she sleeping?
TUREK: Well, no, she's - she perked up. I opened the cage. I'm literally a foot away from her.
CHANG: Oh, that's so funny. Wait, so her cage is inside your house?
TUREK: Yeah. Yeah.
CHANG: Aw.
TUREK: She's - since she's gone blind, I brought her inside for her own safety.
CHANG: Absolutely. OK, Gertie, I don't mean to be making a man speak for you, but I want to ask Frank, what sort of chicken is Gertie? Like, what does she look like?
TUREK: She's a Golden Sebright, which is a bantam breed, so it's - she's small. And Sebrights have this gorgeous - laced wings with their tan feathers with black edgings on them. And they're bred to look gorgeous.
CHANG: Gertie, the gorgeous. What is Gertie's personality like?
TUREK: She's very, very perky. She was the smallest one of the flock, but she quickly became kind of the alpha.
CHANG: Oh, I love that. And I heard that she started crowing like a rooster. Is that right?
TUREK: Yeah, that was, like, when she was, like, 6 or 7. When you have only hens, it's not uncommon for one of them to take on the rooster role. So...
CHANG: (Laughter) Well, let me tell you, Gertie, girl, I get it. When there are no other competent men around, sometimes you just got to step right up and handle the job yourself. So I'm backing you on that one. OK, I have to ask. You play saxophone. Right, Frank?
TUREK: Yeah.
CHANG: And I understand that Gertie has an affinity for jazz music, is that right?
TUREK: Yeah, I play - I mean, I practice in the next room. She cocks her head back and forth.
CHANG: (Laughter) Can you tell...
TUREK: But...
CHANG: ...If she has a favorite jazz artist, a favorite song?
TUREK: She seems to like bebop, like, the up-tempo, Charlie Parker-type songs.
CHANG: Wait, wait, wait.
TUREK: And...
CHANG: Charlie Parker - wasn't his...
TUREK: Yeah.
CHANG: ...Nickname Bird?
TUREK: Yep.
(LAUGHTER)
CHANG: You're making this up, Frank.
TUREK: I wasn't going to say it.
(LAUGHTER)
CHANG: OK. Well, according to Guinness World Records, the oldest chicken ever is one who lived past 23 years, a bird named Muffy. Do you think Gertie is going to break Muffy's record?
TUREK: I don't see any reason why not. Part of the application to Guinness was to get her certified at a vet, and I - my vet gave her a very clean bill of health.
CHANG: That's good to hear.
TUREK: She's active every day, and she eats her food regularly. And she does love cracked corn, which she'll peck out of your hand.
CHANG: Aw. Well, Gertie is gonna turn 16 in July, I understand. Do you know how...
TUREK: Yeah.
CHANG: ...You're going to celebrate her birthday?
TUREK: I imagine we'll have a little party.
CHANG: And just all the cracked corn in the world.
TUREK: Yeah.
CHANG: Long live Gertie. That is Frank Turek and his hen, Gertie, who was just officially crowned world's oldest chicken by Guinness World Records. Thank you to both of you.
TUREK: No, thank you. Transcript provided by NPR, Copyright NPR.
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