Earlier today; one TaintedDonuts posted a thread about how cryptozoology was getting disappointing. One reason being that there were so many hoaxes out there..
I however, think hoaxes can be fun; if only so we can laugh at some gullibility that doesn't include us for a change.
Here's the story of one that actually fooled people, featuring nothing more than a hen and a con-artist..And for once I can confidently say I haven't seen this story posted before..

..In the year 1806, just outside Leeds, England; a miraculous event occured..A hen, belonging to one Mary Bateman; laid an egg that had the words "Christ is Coming" written on it!
You'd think that would be amazing all by itself; but wait there's more!!
It seems Mary Bateman also had a vision where God spoke to her. The Almighty told her in the strictest confidence that her Hen would lay a series of fourteen identical eggs; and at the laying of the last one the world would be destroyed by the Apocalypse..
Luckily,(Wouldn't you know it) It seems Ms. Bateman was also "Gifted" by God with special slips of paper that had J.C. engraved on then..
She let it be known that anyone who had one of these miracle slips would gain free access to Heaven when her Hen laid the last egg; and that she was willing to part with them for the small price of one shilling..
You'd think this would set off some B.S. detectors, wouldn't you?
But by the time the fourteenth egg was ready to be laid, huge crowds flocked (Sorry) to Marys' home to witness this miracle bird and her eggs, as well as buy some salvation..At least a thousand confirmed people had parted with a shilling for a tiny piece of engraved paper..
Finally, a rather skeptical doctor travelled to Leeds and managed to obtain one of Ms. Batemans' eggs. He found it to be engraved with corrosive ink; definitely not a natural ingredient of poultry..
After informing authorities of this they staged a lightning raid on the Tavern where the chicken was being kept..
As it turns out they walked right in on Mary, who was in the process of shoving an egg up the chickens' *cough*..So it could be "Laid" later..
She was arrested and sentenced to serve time in prison for fraud, but was released fairly quickly..
Since nobody would trust her in the prophecy game, she made an even worse career decision and became an abortionist..Which just happened to be extremely illegal; and for which she was arrested again..This time however she was hanged for it..
No one ever mentioned what became of the chicken, but I hope it recieved some counseling..
If nothing else Ms. Bateman proved that if you can't fool all of the people all of the time; you can at least make the ones you do fool feel really, really, stupid..

Haha! That idea is incredibly far fetched and stupid. Just goes to show you how far people will go for attention.

I feel sorry for the chicken having such a rude experience.

I remember my dad's dad talking about a man in the early 20th century, (Dad's dad was born in 1903), who posted an ad in a national newspaper to solicit people in the scheme of making him a millionaire. For a dime, this man would send the contributor a certificate, stating that they had helped Mr.SoAndSo, to become a millionaire. (the printing, paper & mail, costs of this certificate were pennies.)
The follow up to the ad was an article in the same national paper. Not only had this man reached his goal, but it exceeded his wildest expectation$. And all before the advent of U.S. income tax!

Bravo Ingenuity!

Now he'd probably be arrested by the secret police for trying to raise funds for terror network called, "make me rich!"

Poor Chicken
That woman has seious issues even doing that!

urk that's just plan wrong

It's pretty sad really, to resort to doing something like that just for attention. I know people that fake illnesses and family tragedies for the sympathy of others. Drives me out of my tree.....

I don't think she did it for attention.

It was all for the Money!

Well it was probably both. But for whatever reason, it was still horrible and disgusting.

Poor chicken !

O_o ouch!!!! oh well what a funny hoax!!!

They should have shoved the eggs up Mary's arse.

i think it is funny how unfortunate in life she is

i think its funny how she went from shoving things in to pulling them out

That....just.....doesn't....seem....right....

Poor, poor chicken.

Apocalypse chicken i thought KFC was called that! lol

poor mary couldnt figure out if the chiken should lay the egg or if the egg should lay the chicken. (pun intended)

That is just so...wrong, on so many levels, poor chicken.

Either way, it is a good story, and that lady was nuts, I always enjoy reading things like that. Thanks for the good laugh.

Mary,Mary,Mary! I wonder did she ever hear of easter egg dye!?