12‑year‑old chick‑hero wins hearts across Ethiopia

Fri Jun 19 2026 15:45:27 GMT+0000 (Coordinated Universal Time)

When a 12‑year‑old boy takes his sick chicken to a hospital, a viral video shows his compassion.

Ethiopian teenager Markos Abaye shows heart‑winning care for his chicken by taking her to a hospital, despite others laughing. The video captured by a nurse excites 770k viewers. Markos’s hen recovers and he plans to share 12 eggs to hatch. His story inspires a local poultry company to donate 100 chickens and training in farming.

12‑year‑old chick‑hero wins hearts across Ethiopia

In a heart‑warming story that captured millions of eyes on TikTok, 12‑year‑old Markos Abaye from rural Ethiopia took his ill chicken to a local hospital, a move that turned viral video and inspired a wave of compassion among viewers.

When the feathered friend started wheezing and didn’t respond to home remedies, Markos slipped on his shoes and carried her to Denbecha Primary Hospital, where nurse Umer Chane recorded the moment and shared it online. The clip quickly accumulated 770,000 views, with people applauding the boy’s devotion.

After the chicken received veterinary care, Markos celebrated her recovery and promised to give her the 12 eggs he had saved with hopes they would hatch. He also said the video had made people laugh at him—yet his family later saw the footage and praised his kindness.

Booting from the story, a local poultry company pledged to donate 100 chickens and offer training in farming for the youngster, turning a folk‑hero moment into a tangible future for Markos and his community.