The Cold War was a time of extreme military strategies. Both NATO and the Soviet Union developed weapons that pushed the limits of technology and logic.
Some were highly advanced. Others were bizarre. One of the strangest ideas came from Britain—the Blue Peacock project, writes WP.
This plan involved burying nuclear mines in Germany to stop a potential Soviet invasion. But what made it truly unusual was the idea of using live chickens to keep the bombs operational.
A Secret Plan to Slow the Soviet Army
Blue Peacock was designed to place nuclear mines in West Germany. These mines would be hidden underground and, if needed, detonated to destroy key infrastructure and slow down enemy forces.
Each mine weighed over seven tons and carried an explosive power of up to 40 kilotons. They could be triggered remotely or set to explode automatically after eight days.
The project faced a major problem. The electronics inside the mines needed to stay warm, especially in cold winter conditions.
If the temperature dropped too low, the bombs might fail. Engineers searched for a simple and reliable solution. Their answer? Chickens.
Chickens as a Heat Source
British scientists proposed placing live chickens inside the mines. The idea was that their body heat—around 41-43 degrees Celsius—would keep the internal components warm for several days.
The chickens would be sealed inside, given just enough food and water to survive until the mine either detonated or was deactivated.
It sounds absurd, but the British military took the idea seriously. In 1954, ten prototype mines were ordered for testing.
However, the project was canceled before they could be deployed.
Officials realized that detonating nuclear weapons on German soil could lead to disastrous consequences, including radioactive fallout that might reach Britain itself. By 1958, Blue Peacock was officially abandoned.
Other Nuclear Mine Projects
Although the British plan was scrapped, the concept of nuclear mines did not disappear. In West Germany, General Heinrich Trettner pushed for a network of buried atomic weapons known as the Trettner Belt.
These mines were meant to block a Soviet advance. If war had broken out, Polish forces would have been tasked with trying to neutralize them—a mission that could have ended in disaster. Fortunately, the mines were never used.
A Cold War Curiosity
The Blue Peacock project remains one of the strangest military ideas of the Cold War. It also wasn't the only time animals were considered for military use.
The CIA once tried to turn cats into spies with a project called "Acoustic Kitty."
History is filled with strange and unexpected experiments. But few are as bizarre as Britain’s attempt to fight the Soviets with nuclear chickens.
