This Texas Chicken Just Became the Oldest in the World

Stop the presses! A chicken in Texas is officially the oldest in the world, according to Guinness World Records.

Oldest Chicken in Texas

I wonder, does aged chicken taste better or worse than young? Either way, this hen hatched on March 13, 2011, making her 14 years old in 2025.

Sonya Hull, a resident in Little Elm, told Guinness that she hatched the elderly chicken, Pearl, from a personal incubator nearly a decade and a half ago, and she's still standing strong.

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Domestic chickens, like what Pearl is, typically have a life expectancy of anywhere from 3 to 10 years. On top of defying the odds of living so long, Pearl suffered a broken leg, an attack from a wild raccoon, arthritis, and—yes—chickenpox.

How Does Pearl Live So Long?

Hull stated that they treat Pearl as if she were part of the family, even going so far as to create a private area in the house for her to relax and rest.

Pearl often travels outside during her retirement years, but the Texas sun is often too hot for her old bones, and the chicken will actually pant.

Her diet consists primarily of fresh spinach, lettuce, fruits, and nuts. Oh yeah, and despite her advanced age, Pearl does still lay the occasional egg.

Oldest Pets in Texas

Pearl's story is impressive, but take a look at other pets in Texas that blew past their average life expectancy in style:

• Bluey, an Australian Cattle Dog who lived in Dallas from 1910 to 1939 (29 years)
• Creme Puff, a mixed tabby cat from Austin lived from 1967 to 2005 (38 years)
• Mr. Pickles the tortoise, from the Houston Zoo, as of 2023, had reached the ripe age of 90