So, where did that chicken come from?

The fiberglass chicken was purchased by Delano’s Jon Hanson, who owned the former Tom Thumb, in 1988 from Aubie Theis, who purchased it in Wisconsin.

Hanson opened Tom Thumb in Delano in March 1975, which was located where All Seasons Sports is today. He moved to the present location of Flippin’ Bill’s in early 1988, and the chicken found its home that fall.

At the time, Hanson was already known to the community as “Chicken Jon,” for bringing leftover chicken to the American Legion on Friday nights and giving it away. The 13-foot-tall bird that found its home in Hanson’s parking lot just kept the nickname going.

Hanson recalled people having class photos, prom pictures, and photos for other occasions taken in front of the chicken. He said he has also had the chicken in several Fourth of July parades.

“Kids would scream, ‘Here comes the chicken,’ and they’d just go nuts,” Hanson said.

He said someone tried to steal it one time, but said it must have taken whoever was trying too long to get it unbolted from its stand, so they took an inflatable Tom Thumb figure that was standing next to the chicken, instead.

Hanson said he’s also seen the chicken in the Star Tribune, listed as an interesting monument or sight to see on Minnesota’s roadways. The chicken is also listed on the web site roadsideamerica.com, which features offbeat tourist attractions.

Hanson sold the store to his brother, Bill, and Bill’s wife, Lori, in 1998. The name of the store eventually became Flippin’ Bill’s, but the chicken still had its home perched over Highway 12 as it had been since first arriving in town.

“People are always getting their pictures taken with it,” Bill Hanson said. “People on vacations, or people just passing through.”

He added that the chicken was featured, along with the largest ball of twine built by one man in Darwin, on the Ellen DeGeneres show on a “road to the Super Bowl” feature not long ago. Bill said it’s also been on other television shows from Minnesota.

The chicken used to get into a festive mood, sometimes being spotted wearing a Delano Tigers jersey around homecoming time, or Christmas decor at the holidays, but in recent years, the chicken has calmed down a bit.

“We need to get it painted,” Jon said. “It’s getting kind of dull.”