Police, fire and animal control officers were kept busy rounding up dozens of chickens on the run at multiple locations in Central Saanich and North Saanich on Thursday.
Don Brown, chief bylaw officer with the Capital Regional District, said a total of 93 chickens were captured with the help of Central Saanich police officers and North Saanich firefighters.
Police officers and firefighters in Central Saanich and North Saanich rounded up 93 chickens on Thursday. It鈥檚 not known whether the hens escaped or were dumped. Photo via North Saanich Fire/Twitter
鈥淲e don鈥檛 think we got them all, but we think we got most of them,鈥� he said. 鈥淥ne of them got injured and had to be put down.鈥�
Brown said the chickens were extremely hungry, but otherwise appeared healthy.
鈥淲e still have no idea where they came from,鈥� he said. 鈥淲e don鈥檛 know if they鈥檝e escaped out of a barn or someone dumped them.鈥�
The distance between locations where the chickens were found raises the possibility that they were dumped, Brown said.
鈥淭here were some on Central Saanich Road, some on Wallace Drive and then some on Birch Road, which is in North Saanich,鈥� he said.
On the other hand, the chickens still appear to be in good condition, which might mean they simply flew the coop.
鈥淭hey鈥檙e very common layer-type chickens,鈥� Brown said. 鈥淪ome of them were laying eggs in the truck when we were bringing them into the shelter.
鈥淪o they are of value. It鈥檚 not like they鈥檙e old and they鈥檙e not going to lay anymore.
鈥淚t leads me to believe they鈥檝e escaped somewhere and I hope that鈥檚 the case and I hope somebody comes forward and claims them.鈥�
Brown said police made inquiries with a number of farmers in the area, but were unable to find anyone with missing poultry.
The owner has 96 hours to come forward and claim the birds, which are being kept at a CRD shelter.
鈥淲e鈥檝e already had people express interest in taking them on and adopting them if nobody claims them,鈥� he said. 鈥淏ut we鈥檙e still hoping someone might come forward and claim them all.鈥�
