DENBECHA — Markos Abaye, 12, brought a sick chicken to Denbecha Primary Hospital in the Amhara region of Ethiopia earlier this month. A nurse at the hospital, Umer Chane, recorded a video of Abaye attempting to check the chicken into the hospital, which Chane then posted on TikTok, where it received 770,000 views.

Abaye told the nurse, "She is wheezing." Chane directed Abaye to take the chicken to a veterinarian. "Listen, there are doctors who treat animals. You have to take her there. This is a hospital for humans. Okay, dear?" Chane said.

The chicken later received treatment from a veterinarian. Abaye stated, "My chicken is better now. I'm going to give her the 12 eggs I saved so she can hatch them." Abaye was not aware that veterinarians existed in Denbecha. His uncle had suggested he seek professional help for the sick chicken.

Chane observed Abaye at the hospital. "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," Chane said. Abaye told his uncle that people at the hospital had laughed at him.

Abaye moved to live with his uncle, Kelemework Amogne, in August 2023. His grandparents gave him the chicken when he moved to live with his uncle. Abaye's grandparents had feared for his safety during conflict between the Ethiopian army and Fano militias in the Amhara region.

Amogne stated that Abaye stopped studying and eating due to distress over the chicken's illness. "He watches her carefully when she walks. He even studies her footprints," Amogne said. "When there are holes in the ground, he builds small bridges so she doesn't fall." Amogne also said that Abaye feeds his neighbors' chickens. Amogne's family did not know Abaye had taken the chicken to the hospital until they saw the video on social media days later.