'Mad Rooster' Disease Linked To Tainted Chinese Feed

DES MOINES, IA - The recent outbreak of 'Mad Rooster' disease that is ravaging the Midwest has been linked to tainted feed from China. Traces of sildenafil citrate, the active ingredient in Viagra®, has been found in 90% of the chicken feed tested. Officials say the finding may explain many of the symptoms displayed by the infected birds.
"Farmers first noticed that the roosters crow ceaselessly through the night." said Lloyd Gristmueller, Extension Agent from the Iowa Department of Agriculture. "As the disease progresses, the roosters will break into the henhouses and terrorize the other chickens. Some of the reports have gotten pretty ugly."
'Mad Rooster' disease first appeared in Iowa three months ago, and has since spread to sixteen states. Farmers say the bands of infected chickens wreak such havoc in the barnyard that their livelihoods are being threatened. "I've tried everything, but I just can't keep them out [of the henhouse]." said Francis Hurst, local chicken farmer. "They tore down an iron gate I had locked with a chain. And now the hens are tired all the time and losing weight. They won't lay eggs; they just lie around and sleep all day. Some of them can't even walk."
Officials are uncertain if the tainted feed causes 'Mad Rooster' disease or just aggravates the rooster's condition. Also unclear is whether the sildenafil citrate occurs naturally in the Chinese feed or if it is added intentionally. "I don't think the Chinese would have anything to gain by drugging our chickens." said Gristmueller. "But I can see why they might want to get that stuff out of their country; they've got a billion people already."