Blessy the chicken reunited with schoolboy owner

A plucky chook that survived being hit by a car was yesterday reunited with its thrilled schoolboy owner.

The Herald on Sunday reported last week how Auckland financier Mark Kreling thought he had killed the bird when it ran out in front of his car and was astonished to find it staring back at him from behind the cracked radiator grill the next morning.

He named the hen Blessy and kept her in a hutch in his back garden.

When Brandon Child saw the story last Sunday he recognised the chook as belonging to his 13-year-old son, Connor. The pair had spent six days searching local streets for the pet hen, which went missing from their home in Kaukapakapa six weeks ago.

Connor tracked Kreling down via Facebook and was delighted to have Blessy - aka Cooper - back.

"Cooper is the coolest chicken ever," Connor said. "She goes everywhere with me and I though she had gone for ever. I'm so happy."

The family reared Cooper from an egg two years ago.

"We bought some Orpington chicken eggs and put them under a lamp until they hatched," Child said.

"Cooper was the only female and she has been like a family pet. Connor was devastated when she disappeared but as soon as I saw the story and pictures in the Herald on Sunday I knew we would get her back.

"We want to thank Mr Kreling for nursing her and looking after her so well. Cooper has nine chicks and I'm sure they will be happy to see her again, too."

Kreling said Cooper had laid six eggs in the past eight days and had made a full recovery