Chickens Are Being Fed Viagra: As the country gears up for Makar Sankranti, rural Andhra Pradesh hustles with fervent preparations, especially for the traditional cockfights integral to the celebrations. However, an unexpected challenge arises as a viral disease affects the chickens, leaving many contenders in poor form. To boost their performance, unconventional measures are taken, including feeding chickens Viagra, Shilajit, and steroid-laden food.

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Cockfights in Andhra Pradesh

Reportedly, cockfights mark the Sankranti festivities in rural Andhra Pradesh, primarily in undivided Guntur, Krishna, and Two Godavari districts. The festival, spanning January 14 to 16, witnesses the opening of numerous illegal arenas where trained roosters engage in intense fights, often leading to fatal outcomes, while spectators place bets worth crores of rupees.

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The chickens in Andhra Pradesh have been afflicted by ‘Ranikhet,’ a disease significantly weakening them and compromising their ability to partake in the fights. With limited time until Sankranti, some chicken owners are resorting to unconventional measures, administering Shilajit, Viagra 100, and vitamin supplements to bolster the birds’ strength.

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Veterinary experts caution against the use of hormone-boosting drugs, highlighting potential long-term consequences such as crippling the birds and potential mutations that could pose risks if humans consume such treated chickens. While these unorthodox drugs are being introduced to the birds for the first time, their actual impact on enhancing fighting spirit in roosters remains unclear.