Apart from actual proper clothing that keeps pets warm or deters them from scratching sensitive parts on their bodies, there’s also a variety of costumes and props that are created just for laughs, thus making pets super adorable or super hilarious (or, sometimes, super both).
The internet has been getting a giggle out of a chicken named Sparkle who was photographed wearing plastic doll arms that made her look like one of those swole dudes you can often see in your local gyms and under the fitness hashtag on Instagram.
Chickens don’t really use their wings, so someone thought they might benefit from some muscly arms
Image credits: Shell Critter
So, there is this hen from Hereford, Arizona who goes by the name of Sparkle. She got a package recently and inside it was a letter from someone named “Uncle Brian” as well as a hilarious prop—“chicken arms.” Bored Panda got in touch with the owner Shell Critter who was more than happy to provide us with some information and photos on the matter.
Apparently, there are these things called chicken arms that are essentially plastic doll arms that have been ripped off of some poor Ken doll, tied together using flexible metal wiring, and lazily packaged using scotch tape and a paper print-out.
Shell is a proud owner of 52 pets—this is practically a zoo at this point! “I have 52 Pets: 35 rescued birds—from a Macaw to Amazons to little Budgies. I also have 8 dogs, 9 cats, 2 goats, and a new house rooster named Apple—the Yellow Nape Amazon Parrot named him,” she explained.
Sparkle the Chicken from Hereford, Arizona got a pair of swole arms in the mail and tried them on
Image credits: Shell Critter
The results were absolutely hilarious, prompting her owner to share photos on Facebook where it went viral
Image credits: Shell Critter
Without any hesitation, the owner quickly unpackaged the arms, put them on Sparkle, and snapped a photo, resulting in comedy gold.
You see, the way the chicken’s feathers grow, it already looks like it’s sporting some proper muscles, so sticking on some muscly human arms is only appropriate.
As for the letter, it was written by a man who signed off as Uncle Brian. Shell explained that he is a Facebook friend and a huge fan of Sparkle.
The Facebook post itself garnered almost 5k reactions with over 34k shares, later making rounds on Reddit
Image credits: Shell Critter
Apparently, the package was sent in by a Facebook friend and a huge fan—the internet thanks you, sir!
Image credits: Shell Critter
In the letter, he was apologetic for sending in yet another prop (hinting at a history of prop sending that the internet will probably also demand photos of), but suggested Sparkle should have a go at it.
It also asked for some pictures and gave some hilarious advice on avoiding red and white buckets and anything with the word nuggets—a subtle allusion to KFC.
“Sparkle’s a white leghorn that I got at 3 days old. She lived in the house and everyone got along as they do now with my new baby,” said Shelly.
Others tried this little hack as well
— え〜いお茶 (@niwatori3wa) July 16, 2020
Someone even tried to start a PhotoShop battle, but it was short-lived, resulting in a single picture
Image credits: JUICY_ZEUS
Sparkle single-handedly (double-handedly?) managed to bring a smile to many with her muscles of steel
Image credits: Shell Critter
The photos soon found themselves posted in the group called We Heart Birds on Facebook, where they found modest fame. 4,600 people reacted to the post, netting it over 34,000 shares. The photos also began making rounds on Reddit with a number of subreddits featuring the swole hen.
One of these posts ended up on the Photoshop battle subreddit, and though it was very short-lived, we at least got one photo of the bodybuilding chicken doing some weight lifting at the Olympics. Priceless.
Enjoy some of her other photos that the owner shared with us!
Image credits: Shell Critter
Image credits: Shell Critter
This is what Sparkle looked like as a chick, together with its sister Twinkle
Image credits: Shell Critter
Image credits: Shell Critter
Image credits: Shell Critter
What are your thoughts on this? What other animals do you think swole arms would also work on? Let us know in the comments section below.
Here’s how the internet reacted to the hilarious hen with the buff arms
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WMxf5coM4GE For those wondering, the story behind the chicken arms is as delightful as the product itself. Four or five years ago Jessica Champagne , being the consummate yard-saler she is, brought home, amongst other treasures, two storage tubs of assorted, naked baby dolls. Not wanting to be murdered in my sleep by a possessed doll, I put my foot down and told her she had to keep them in the barn. A week later, I was coming home from work and, stopped at the gate to our driveway, watching it swing slowly open. Imagine my surprise and horror as our 20 plus chickens came stampeding toward me, as they are wont to do, with their little stubby arms outstretched as if they were reaching out to strangle me! This was, to say the least, unexpected and more than a wee bit unsettling. I know, after the turkeys wearing Pope hats, I should not have been shocked, yet, this was indubitably so. Then, in real Jessica style, she put them on eBay and sold about 7 pairs.
Thanks for the back story, David! I can only imagine your first feeling of beefed-up stampeding chickens heading towards you! I'd feel the same initially too, like WTF should I run? But then the laughter starts! Thanks again!
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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WMxf5coM4GE For those wondering, the story behind the chicken arms is as delightful as the product itself. Four or five years ago Jessica Champagne , being the consummate yard-saler she is, brought home, amongst other treasures, two storage tubs of assorted, naked baby dolls. Not wanting to be murdered in my sleep by a possessed doll, I put my foot down and told her she had to keep them in the barn. A week later, I was coming home from work and, stopped at the gate to our driveway, watching it swing slowly open. Imagine my surprise and horror as our 20 plus chickens came stampeding toward me, as they are wont to do, with their little stubby arms outstretched as if they were reaching out to strangle me! This was, to say the least, unexpected and more than a wee bit unsettling. I know, after the turkeys wearing Pope hats, I should not have been shocked, yet, this was indubitably so. Then, in real Jessica style, she put them on eBay and sold about 7 pairs.
Thanks for the back story, David! I can only imagine your first feeling of beefed-up stampeding chickens heading towards you! I'd feel the same initially too, like WTF should I run? But then the laughter starts! Thanks again!
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