Boy, 12, wins hearts after trying to check sick chicken into Ethiopian hospital

Umer Chane

Growing up in rural Ethiopia, 12-year-old Markos Abaye developed a deep affection for animals.

So when his beloved chicken fell sick earlier this month and did not respond to any at-home treatments, Markos popped his shoes on and did what made the most sense to him - he rushed the bird to the local hospital.

A video of the unlikely couple, recorded by a nurse at Denbecha Primary Hospital in the Amhara region, racked up 770,000 views on TikTok, with many Ethiopians struck by Markos' compassion.

"She is wheezing," Markos tells the nurse in the video, cradling the poorly chicken with a worried expression on his face.

The nurse, Umer Chane, responds: "Listen, there are doctors who treat animals. You have to take her there. This is a hospital for humans. Okay, dear?"

He then took her to a vet, where the chicken was treated.

The youngster wound up at the hospital after his uncle, also his guardian, suggested getting professional help for the hen. There are vets in Denbecha, but Markos was not aware they existed.

In the midst of his experience with social media fame, Markos told the BBC: "My chicken is better now. I'm going to give her the 12 eggs I saved so she can hatch them."

Markos' uncle, Kelemework Amogne, said Markos was so distressed by the chicken's illness that he stopped studying and eating.

Umer Chane

Markos is extremely close to the bird, Kelemework said, adding: "He watches her carefully when she walks. He even studies her footprints.

"When there are holes in the ground, he builds small bridges so she doesn't fall."

Markos went to live with his uncle in August 2023, when conflict erupted in Amhara. Ethiopia's army began fighting local militias, known as Fano, and Markos' grandparents started fearing for his safety.

They sent their grandchild to live with his uncle and gave him the chicken as a parting gift.

According to Kelemework, Markos loves chickens so much he even feeds his neighbours' birds.

Umer, the nurse who spoke to Markos at the hospital, told the BBC: "I could see the kindness in his face. He hugged the chicken tightly, worried about her condition, even as others tried to make fun of him."

Moved by Markos and his feathered friend, Umer recorded the video and shared it on TikTok.

When Markos returned home, he told his uncle that "people laughed at him", but the family did not know where he had taken the hen until days later, when they saw the video on social media.

"He thought of a hospital as one that could treat both people and animals," Kelemework explains, adding that he was taken aback by the response to his nephew's kindness.

"It seemed like a dream!"

After the story drew national attention, a local poultry industry company announced it would donate 100 chickens to Markos, as well as training in poultry farming.

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Getty Images/BBC

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