Something ran afowl this week at NPR — a chicken.
NPR staffers rescued a chicken spotted outside the network’s Washington, D.C., headquarters along heavily trafficked North Capitol Street Monday, according to the network.
Adam Cole, who runs NPR’s Skunk Bear YouTube channel and Tumblr, first spotted the chicken. Cole and other employees thought they should try to get the chicken away from the street.
What a day! @morgmccloy and @NPRChicken arrive at the science desk! pic.twitter.com/JgLAkHYfCA
— cadamole (@cadamole) November 9, 2015
“We bystanders resolved to catch the chicken and protect it from the morning North Capitol traffic,” Cole told D.C. blog PoPville. “Ten embarrassing minutes later, I had grass stains on my knees and the chicken had given in to stereotypes and crossed the road.”
Fortunately, NPR global health and development correspondent Jason Beaubien, a chicken owner, was able to pluck the bird from danger. He put it in a makeshift cage in an office recently vacated by Edith Chapin, who was promoted to NPR’s executive editor in October.
According to a tweet from Beaubien, the chicken was moved to a “safe house outside the District” Tuesday.
Fugitive @NPRChicken safe in safe house outside the District. District officials say foul runs afoul of DC laws. pic.twitter.com/NWANPHoSFp
— Jason Beaubien (@jasonbnpr) November 10, 2015
The network used the chicken fiasco as an opportunity to interview an expert about chickens in the developing world. And the incident prompted a little fun in the form of an @NPRChicken feed on Twitter, with more than 1,000 followers so far.
If you're going to be snatched up and tossed into a mail crate, it's good to know that there are so many vegetarians around you.
— NPR Chicken (@NPRChicken) November 9, 2015
Please do NOT put me in a tote bag and give me away for Pledge Week.
— NPR Chicken (@NPRChicken) November 9, 2015
Haven't said this in a while, so: BAGAWK.
— NPR Chicken (@NPRChicken) November 9, 2015
NPR Chicken. A chicken at NPR. @NPRChicken @NPR #NPRmageddon pic.twitter.com/dInTfHwLXW
— NPRmageddon (@NPRmageddon) November 10, 2015
The NPR chicken joins other animals that have lived at or visited NPR, including bees, which apparently keep dying, and a snake, which made an appearance as part of an Invisibilia episode.