Revenge of the Chinese chickens: Farmers throw trussed-up eagles into poultry pens to put them off hunting

Chinese farmers are trapping eagles and other birds of prey and throwing them into poultry pens so that the chickens can wreak their revenge on them.

The farmers say the trussed-up eagle is so frightened of poultry after the experience that they never return to hunt them.

Farmers have complained for years about eagles stealing their chickens but face fines or even jail if they kill the birds.
So instead they have come up with the idea of catching but not killing them to avoid incurring any penalties.

They say after the trussed-up birds is freed it never returns - while the chickens also learn self defence against the birds of prey.

Farmer Xiao Wu of Huaxi Village at Lin’an said: 'Those eagles have eaten nearly 300 chickens over the past three months, and now I catch them with a trap and let the chickens get revenge.

'Free range chickens get the best price, but the chickens are always the target of the eagles. I tried every other means to drive the eagles away, including scarecrows, bamboo sticks, even firecrackers.

'But they would always return. Now when they see their colleagues on the ground being mobbed by chickens they stay away. And the chickens are learning to be brave enough to drive away their attackers.'

The farmers bind the eagle’s claws and wings and leave them on the ground as the chickens exact revenge.

Mr Wu said: 'We all know the eagle is a nationally protected species and we will not harm the captured bird other than teaching it to fear chickens. I can’t release it any sooner, otherwise my chickens will all disappear.'