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

Markos's beloved hen was not responding to any treatments - so he did the only thing he could think of.

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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?"