WATCH: Nearly 100 chickens are in the care of CRD animal control tonight but it’s a mystery as to how they flew the coop in the first place. The chickens were found in five different locations on the Saanich Peninsula this morning but no farmer has reported any animals missing. April Lawrence reports.
Animal control officials have rounded up dozens of chickens found crossing numerous roads Thursday morning in Central and North Saanich.
The chickens were seen in different areas on Tuesday morning.
Chickens ran free in various locations around Central and North Saanich Thursday morning.
The Twitter account of Longview Farms said 60 chickens were spotted on the loose on Wallace Drive in Central Saanich.
Know where your chickens are?!?! 60 chickens loose on Wallace Drive in Central Saanich by Longview. Call Central Saanich police if you know anything ASAP!!!
— Longview Farms (@LongviewOrganic) January 10, 2019
Sidney/North Saanich RCMP, Central Saanich Police and the North Saanich Fire Department also had their hands full catching the loose birds.
Fire officials said on Twitter that 23 “unruly” chickens were spotted in the 800-block of Birch Road and were being held in a pickleball court at Wain Park, waiting for animal control officials to arrive.
Sidney North Saanich RCMP & North Saanich Fire were run a foul by 23 unruly chickens this morning on the 800 block of Birch Road. All birds being held in the pickle ball court waiting for animal control! pic.twitter.com/ugMPtVDy6N
— North Saanich Fire (@dns_fire) January 10, 2019
Ninety-three chickens were rounded up at Wallace Drive, Central Saanich Road and Wain Park, a total of four locations. Const. Ann Piper from Central Saanich Police said the chickens were a safety concern as they could have led to a collision.
A CRD bylaw officer rounds up chickens at Wain Park.
A couple of chickens on the tape of a tennis net on a court in North Saanich.
Ryan Vantreight, general manager of Longview Farms on Central Saanich Road, said he was heading to work on Wallace Drive when he saw Central Saanich Police controlling traffic due to chickens on the road.
“Since about 7:30 this morning, we’ve been out trying to keep the little guys safe,” Ventreight said. The farm also provided some fencing to keep the chickens in one area.
Vantreight said the situation seemed suspicious once everyone realized how many chickens were out in different places. He said that his friends who work with chickens think that they are older.
“We don’t why they crossed the road but they are here anyway,” Vantreight joked.
Some of the chickens were laying eggs, Vantreight said.
WATCH: It was quite the egg-scapade for some chickens in Central and North Saanich Tuesday. Here are some clips of police, CRD bylaw officers and even a CHEK cameraman rounding up some chickens that were running loose.
Lance Hurrell, CRD animal control officer, said the shelter should be able to accommodate the chickens for a short amount of time but there will have to be a long-term solution.
Police are looking into whether the chickens escaped an enclosure or were set free. At this time, no owner has come forward. No chickens were injured.
The owner has 96 hours to come forward. CRD is also looking for someone who can take in the chickens. The CRD’s number is 250-360-3000.
CHEK News
