Judge settles divorce row over chicken by serving it for lunch to couple in China

In an unusual courtroom scene in China’s Sichuan Province, a judge resolved a dispute between a divorcing couple, Tu and Yang, by turning their argument over a single chicken into a light-hearted farewell — complete with “divorce soup.”

The case began with a disagreement over how to divide 29 chickens during divorce proceedings. The couple, who earned their living from poultry farming, owned 53 birds in total — 29 chickens, 22 geese, and two ducks. While they divided the ducks and geese equally without issue, tensions flared over the chickens. The wife demanded one extra chicken, claiming she had raised it herself. The husband refused, saying the care was shared.

Judge Chen Qian, presiding over the case, offered an unconventional solution: either eat the disputed chicken together or compensate each other financially. The couple chose the first option, cooking and sharing the chicken in court.

After the meal, the husband drove his ex-wife home on his electric scooter. They agreed to separate financially while continuing to support each other when needed, and to maintain a respectful friendship.

The unusual resolution sparked a wave of comments on Chinese social media, ranging from praise for the judge’s wisdom to jokes about the “chicken’s fate.” One commenter wrote, “The chicken paid the price!” Another asked, “Could this meal have mended what time had ruined?”

The incident comes amid a sharp rise in China’s divorce rate.