Chicken man's rotten cluck (From Chard & Ilminster News)

Chicken man's rotten cluck

8:25am Thursday 7th December 2006 in Chard By Matthew Colledge

A CHARD man says he will beef up security outside his home after over 60 of his chickens were snatched from a shed last week.

Nigel Foreman said 62 or 63 of his birds were stolen when thieves broke into the shed outside his home in Hornsbury Hill last Tuesday night.

Mr Foreman says he realised the birds were missing when he went to feed them on Wednesday morning.

He said: "Somebody found the key to the shed and just lifted them out.

"I know how many were taken because I always count them to see whether a fox has had any."

Mr Foreman said that the chickens - Black Rock, Babcock and Warren breeds - were old laying birds with almost no value.

He said: "I don't know why anybody would take them. They would be horrible to eat.

"They're probably worth about 50p each, but they would cost more to replace because I'd have to buy young ones."

Mr Foreman says he will now buy a dog to ward off thieves, adding: "I've got a few other security ideas.

"This is a real nuisance more than anything else. I've never had any chickens stolen before."

Sgt Andy Kingston, of Chard police, said: "We have some evidence in the form of tyre tracks from the scene.

"It's a fairly blatant offence and you'd think somebody would have some knowledge of who the offenders are."

Anybody with information about the thefts should call Crimestoppers on 0800-555111 or Chard police station on 0845-4567000.