Chickens face firing squad

Alderney's airport chickens have been destroyed.

The Journal understands two public works officers from Guernsey shot the feral birds last Thursday evening.

Bird lover Jeanne Mapp was at the airport when she heard the fatal shots being fired.

She said: "I could see the men shining lights in the trees and shooting the chickens.

"I am very upset about it. The States could have phoned me and told me what was going on. They know I have fed them for a long, long time. To go up there and find them like that is not very nice."

Mrs Mapp also visited the La Source site, which is close to the Bonne Terre water catchment, earlier in the day.

She said: "I went to the airport shortly after 1pm on Thursday to feed the chickens and saw two men there with guns. One of them came up to me and said that if I didn't leave he would call the police and get me arrested.

"I asked him whether he was shooting rats, or rats and chickens, and he didn't answer. He just said he would call the police if I didn't leave. I found his attitude really nasty."

Mrs Mapp believes the States could have re-housed the chickens.

"It wouldn't have been difficult to find a solution. The States has lots of land and could have re-housed the chickens had it really wanted to."

Mrs Mapp went on to describe the politicians who voted for the cull as "heartless".

"The States members who voted for this action are heartless. I certainly won't be voting for those involved and I don't think many other people will either. This isn't Alderney as I know it and I don't know what people who holiday here are going to think when they find out what has happened."

Chief executive David Jeremiah confirmed the destruction of rats and chickens in the Bonne Terre area had taken place.

The States originally gave the public two weeks to re-house the birds when it said they posed a "serious threat" to the island's water supply in April.

In May, States member Frank Dean said the chickens had pumped very worrying amounts of bacteria into the island's water supply.

He said test results proved the chickens were contaminating the water supply. However, the results have never been made available to the public.

Mr Dean, the member responsible for water, was not available for comment when approached by the Journal.

Mrs Mapp organised a sit-in to protest against the proposal to cull the chickens in May and encouraged more than 200 islanders and holidaymakers to sign a petition urging the States not to kill the birds.

Turn over for a detailed look at the events which led to the culling, from the GSC's first announcement in April to the eventual culling last week.

Related stories:

• States still planning to cull airport chickens
• Cruel blow for airport chickens
• States spends £1,500 on chicken cull
• C-luckiest chicken in the world

2 comments on this article

Create a unique icon for your replies at gravatar.com	strix | Fri 26th December 2008 Well that sucks. I enjoyed those chickens.

Create a unique icon for your replies at gravatar.com

DayDream Believer | Fri 28th November 2008 I loved seeing the chickens at the airport, it was one of the things that made Alderney special. I urge the people of Alderney NOT to vote for the people who voted for this 'murder'. I bet those that voted in FAVOUR will not be brave enough to be identified. If i was an islander i would also be asking what the States plan to do with the £4000 a month it now claims it is SAVING by not having the chickens there. As for me i will think long and hard about visiting the island again.

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