A Chicago-based Web site said a survey uncovered a number of strange excuses for missing work, including a chicken attack and a finger stuck in a bowling ball.

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CareerBuilder.com said its online survey of 3,125 full-time workers and more than 2,457 employers, conducted Aug. 17 to Sept. 2, found 29 percent of the workers admitted to calling in sick at least once when they were actually healthy, and 27 percent of the employers said they suspect bogus sick days are on the rise due to economy-related stress and burnout.

"Six-in-10 employers we surveyed said they let their team members use sick days for mental health days," said Rosemary Haefner, vice president of human resources at CareerBuilder. "If you need to take some time away from the office, the best way not to cause yourself more stress is to be open and honest with your manager."

The employers surveyed said the most bizarre excuses they received for employees missing work included a worker saying his mother was attacked by a chicken, an employee who claimed to have a finger stuck in a bowling ball, a hair transplant gone bad, a home invasion by a cow and a foot caught in a garbage disposal.

The survey had a 1.98-point margin of error for the employers and a 1.75-point margin for the workers.