It sounds like a scene from a movie, but this was real life: a daring chicken from Kintore, Aberdeenshire, managed to escape its farm and hitch a ride on the spare wheel of a Land Rover, traveling 25 miles before being spotted in Stonehaven.
The feathery explorer caught the attention of local resident Dave Jacobs, 58, who initially assumed the bird belonged to a nearby neighbor.
In an act of kindness, he placed it in a coop while he and his family went away for the weekend—unaware that the chicken had journeyed from far afield.
A Surprise Reunion for the Farmer
Mr. Jacobs first spotted the chicken around 6am on Saturday while cycling to his paddleboarding job along the Stonehaven coastline.
After a few failed attempts to capture the bird, he finally managed to herd it into a coop with the help of passersby.
A social media post from Mr. Jacobs led to the farmer from Kintore claiming the runaway chicken.
The farmer revealed that the bird likely hitched a ride on a friend’s Land Rover, clinging to the spare wheel throughout the 25-mile journey.
To add to the surprise, another chicken was also reported missing, suggesting the adventure might not be over.
Chickens on the Move in Scotland
Mr. Jacobs admitted he was stunned by the chicken’s endurance, marveling at its ability to withstand speeds of 60 to 70 miles per hour.
“They just sit there on the spare wheel like it’s no big deal,” he said.
This is far from Scotland’s only daring pet escape.
In 2024, a German Shepherd named Rayne traveled hundreds of miles across the Highlands, prompting a 17-day search that involved drones, thermal scopes, and bait stations.
Rayne’s owner, Carrie Kemp from Ballinluig, near Pitlochry, flew back from Ibiza to join the frantic search, eventually reuniting with her dog, who returned thin, scratched, and covered in ticks, but happily wagging her tail.
Pets Keep Owners on Their Toes
Other Scottish pet escapes have also captured attention.
A springer spaniel named Merlin ran off from his home in Seaton, Cumbria, last year, sparking a large-scale search involving over 100 locals and heat-seeking equipment.
The clever dog left trails of scent to follow, and after 16 hours of evading capture, finally wandered back home.
From chickens on Land Rovers to dogs navigating miles of rugged terrain, these stories highlight the unpredictable and sometimes heroic adventures of Scotland’s four- and two-legged residents.