Costco unexpectedly sold out of chickens this week — 22-inch garden statue roosters, that is

• It's often said that you can buy anything at Costco, and that includes 22-inch chicken statues.
• A comically proportioned steel garden chicken has apparently struck a chord with Costco shoppers.

If there are two things Costco is well known for, it's finding items you didn't know you wanted, and selling a lot of chickens.

This week, those two things converged — in a way — when the company unexpectedly sold out of a 22-inch tall garden statue of a rooster.

So, while the comically proportioned steel bird wasn't $5 (and obviously isn't edible), the $38 price tag was arguably a bargain, compared with comparable offerings from other online sellers.

Several Reddit users said they ordered the chicken only to be informed that the item had been oversold and the order canceled.

"We regret to inform you that the item you had ordered, 1793860 STEEL CHICKEN, has been accidentally oversold and we are unable to fulfill your order," Costco said to one shopper, in an email that was shared with Business Insider.

In a follow-up note, the company said she would receive a $10 Costco Shop card "as compensation for your inconvenience."

"I'm super bummed! Honestly, I'd rather have the chicken than an extra $10," she said in a Reddit post about the experience.

Soon other users began posting (and boasting) about the chickens they were able to buy, with many making comparisons to the feathered sidekick Hei-Hei from the Disney film Moana.

As of Friday, the steel chicken has not yet made its way to eBay and Facebook Marketplace, but we wouldn't be surprised if the early enthusiasm leads to some resales while shoppers wait for a restock.