More than 100 abandoned egg-laying chickens at the Capital Regional District’s animal shelter were flying the coop for new homes on Monday, as people turned up to adopt them.
“It’s great — people care,” said CRD chief bylaw officer Don Brown. “We’ve been inundated with phone calls. They are going to all be gone by tomorrow.”
The chickens were picked up in multiple locations in Central and North Saanich on Thursday, with the help of police, fire and animal-control officers.
Some were found on Central Saanich Road, Wallace Drive and Birch Road, while another eight of the same breed were located in brush on Saturday, for a total of 101, Brown said.
The chickens were released for adoption at noon on Monday at the CRD Animal Shelter at 5401 Patricia Bay Highway.
Some people had already put their names forward on a list to adopt the chickens, while others visited the shelter or called.
A farmer from Salt Spring Island took 15, another farmer wants 25 to 30, and Chemainus’s Rescue and Sanctuary for Threatened Animals, which provides homes for rescued farm animals, wants another 25.
“The phone has been ringing like crazy,” said Brown. “Most of the chickens are good layers, so people want them for a purpose. And many will become pets.”
Police made inquiries with a number of farmers in the area, but were unable to find anyone with missing poultry. No one came to retrieve the birds after the story was publicized.
Because the chickens were found in various locations, officials suspect they were deliberately dumped. “It’s frustrating and very sad that someone would do that,” said Brown, calling the act irresponsible.
“If they weren’t able to look after them, if they had just contacted us, we would have worked with them to get them re-homed, rather than just leave them and cause all the trouble that went into everyone having to round these birds up.”
If the chickens hadn’t been rounded up, he said, many would have ended up dead — killed by wildlife or lack of food. They could also have caused accidents by running across roads, he said.
If police or animal-control officers find out who dumped the chickens, Brown is hopeful a charge will follow. “If we do get a tip, I’m certainly going to encourage the SPCA to lay charges under the animal cruelty act,” he said.
To ask about adopting a chicken, call the CRD Animal Shelter at 250-658-5745. Donations are encouraged with each adoption. That money goes to vet bills for injured and sick animals at the shelter, said Brown.
