Killer Chicken Syndrome

Seventy-six. That's the amount of chickens that had to be put down in 1145 in Braedon, a city in Rohsk (one of the Four Regions of Adghonaglamar). They were all infected with the Killer Chicken Syndrome.
The records of the city's archivist contain many such entries. Ever since Blue-Petalled Clover was introduced in Rohsk, cases like those in Braedon have been appearing all over the Region.

Causes

It is not clear what toxin in the Blue-Pettaled Clover drugs the chickens. In Ithlor, the native Region of the plant, no such cases are known, even though poultry often roams free across the country. It seems that the chickens in Rohsk have a specific gene that gets triggered when ingesting the plant. No other animals are affected, in Rohsk or elsewhere. Biologists and botanists are still trying to discover what triggers the syndrome.

Symptoms

Chickens who've contracted the Chicken Killer Syndrome will show only one external physical symptom: their eyes will turn blood red. Pupil, iris and sclera will all turn the same colour, giving the chickens a frightening appearance.


Their behaviour is the best indicator of them having contracted the syndrome: they will become extremely violent to everything and everyone. Cases have been known of a flock of affected chickens attacking and killing both children and adults. While a sole chicken with the Chicken Killer Syndrome is far less dangerous than a whole flock, it remains a difficult task to capture and kill it. Severe wounds can be caused by their beaks and claws. Especially the roosters, with their sharp spurs, can wreak horrendous damage.

Treatment

There is no antidote to the drug. Chickens have been known to remain in their drugged state for days. Usually they are put down way before that, to prevent harm to humans and other beings.

Prevention

The best way to prevent chickens from becoming drugged and becoming killer chickens, is to make sure the Blue-Petalled Clover doesn't grow in their pens. That and being careful that no such clover is mixed in amongst their food.

Epidemiology

Chickens can only succumb to the Killer Chicken Syndrome by ingesting the Blue-Petalled Clover. There have been no reported cases of infected chickens transmitting the syndrome; not to other chickens nor to humans. Humans attacked by the chickens only suffer physical wounds afflicted by the attack.
While not advised, in theory eating the meat of chickens who were drugged is safe. There have been no reported cases of any negative effect after digesting the meat.

History

No one could have imagined what the impact would be of the artificial introduction of Blue-Pettaled Clover in the ecosystems of Rohsk. Natively a plant from the more mountainous regions in Ithlor, botanists travelling Adhonaglamar had brought it back home to Rohsk. Even though it was initially only grown in their greenhouses for experimentation, its seeds soon spread to the wild and all over Rohsk.

While not particularly invasive, Blue-Petalled Clover does grow easily in most areas of Rohsk. The plant seems only to dislike the swampier parts near the Boundary, not having been found there since its spread.

A few years after its introduction in Rohsk, the first cases of killer chickens started appearing. The effects of the plant were not well known yet at the time. Finding no direct link to its presence and the mad chickens, it took several more years until the cause of their madness became clear.

Type

Mental

Origin

Natural

Cycle

Short-term

Rarity

Rare