What made the free-range chicken cross the road?  Trees, say British researchers who are trying to coax timid poultry into the farmyard.

In the European Union, chickens and their eggs are labeled as free-range if the birds enjoy access to the outdoors for at least eight hours a day.  But while shoppers assume that their bird was once happily al resco, farmers know that they rarely venture out of the barn.

The retiring chucks may be pining for the forest, says Marian Dawkins of the University of Oxford, UK, and her team. By taking regular photos at commercial broiler farms in Lincolnshire, they confirmed that only of 15% of hens ever poke their beaks outside at any given time.

Yards shaded by trees are most likely to tempt the chickens out. In 40 paddocks holding 20,000 animals, birds huddled under the protection of foliage.

The researchers suggest that domestic poultry may share a preference for trees with their wild ancestor the red jungle fowl, which shelters in Asian bamboo forests. For modern broilers, trees may offer shade, protection from predatory crows and a windbreak.

Dawkins is keen to emphasize that free-range chickens' agoraphobia is no reason to revert to battery farming - especially if researchers can figure out how best to entice them out. "It's our fault for not thinking of it from the bird's point of view," she says. 

References:
1.Dawkins, M. S., Cook, P. A., Whittingham, M. J., Mansell, K. A. & Harper, A. E. What makes free-range broiler chickens range? In situ measurement of habitat preference. Animal Behaviour, 66, 151 - 151, (2003). 

Bandar Seri Begawan - A Malaysian man was fined $1,200 or a month’s imprisonment yesterday after he pleaded guilty to conveying uncustomed goods of 142 kilogrammes of chicken wings in his car. 

The man was arrested on a tip from members of the public, ASC Hj Ahmad Hj Abd Rahman, the Customs Prosecutor said yesterday. Based on the tip off, a group of Customs Preventive Officers conducted an operation in the vicinity of Jalan Rasau in Kuala Belait. 

The court heard that at about 11:45 am three days ago, the Customs officers managed to stop the suspected car bearing the registration number BL 8941, model Subaru, at the control gate of Jalan Rasau. The driver of the car, Sim Khiok Boo, 46, had just arrived from Miri. 

As a result of an inspection on the said vehicle, the officers found 14 packets of 2 kg chicken wings concealed in the spare tyre compartment, 47 packets of 2 kg chicken wings concealed inside the speaker at the rear bonnet, 6 packets of 2 kg chicken wings concealed underneath the rear passenger seat and 4 packets of 2 kg chicken wings concealed under the driver’s seat. 

Hj Ahmad said investigations revealed that the accused came from Miri, Sarawak driving the said car. He drove the car from Miri and confessed that all the contraband goods were concealed by himself and it was to be delivered to a place somewhere in Muara and Jerudong. 

The accused also admitted that he smuggled chicken wings three to four times a month. 

-- Courtesy of Borneo Bulletin

Consider the case of San Francisco police Lt. Mark Swendsen. 

Swendsen thought he was doing the right thing when he used an air pistol to pop helium balloons a prankster tied to a chicken. The chicken was carried aloft and the balloons got tangled in power lines. 

Swendsen says he was just doing his job, trying to save the chicken and prevent injury to other people in the area. 

Instead, the department has launched an investigation into whether Swendsen broke regulations by firing a nonregulation weapon. The chicken survived and was adopted by a Concord woman. 

Internal Affairs Lt. Mike Slade says the probe is a routine response to an anonymous complaint -- and Swendsen has little reason to worry.