Old hen may set world record

 

A Chinese man is set to apply for a new Guinness world record for his 22-year-old hen - the equivalent of 400 years in human age.

Yang Shaofu, 77, of Sidazhuang village, Baoshan, Yunnan province, said the hen was bought by his daughter-in-law in 1988 along with four other chickens.
"It was only half a kilo when it came in, and after raising it for two months, it started to lay eggs," said Yang.
He added that the hen is still quite healthy except for a reduced appetite - a daily feed of grounded millet shells and maize - and bad vision.
Local vets said normally a hen can live up to seven or eight years, and the longest record is 12 years - just over half the age of Yang's hen, which has laid over 5,000 eggs.
Yang said: "Although people suggested me to kill it for food, I wouldn't do that. We'll raise it till it dies."