Banqiao Ecological Park, an animal farm refurbished as a seismic station in Nanjing, East China's Jiangsu province. [Photo/IC]

"Seismological experts will analyze reported abnormalities to decide whether or not a possible earthquake is imminent," said Zhou, "When it's too hot, chickens may also fly atop trees to seek cool shelter."

While Nanjing plans to transform seven more farms this year, using animals to forecast earthquakes is not something new in China because as early as 2010 feeders in zoos in the southern cities of Guangzhou and Shenzhen were tracking and reporting abnormal behavior.

Animals used to forecast earthquakes must be highly sensitive to infrasound but not to other changes in environment or weather, so most are birds, according to Shen Zhijun, keeper at Hongshan Forest Zoo in Nanjing.