More than 1,000 chicks found abandoned in Cambridgeshire field

More than a thousand newly-hatched chicks have been found abandoned in a field in the Cambridgeshire countryside.

The RSPCA is investigating after an estimated 1,800 day-old chicks were found in Crowland near Peterborough.

Most of the chicks are believed to be in good health, although some had died and a few more had to be put to sleep because of their injuries.

It is believed they came from a nearby commercial chick producer and may have been abandoned by a third party.

RSPCA inspector Justin Stubbs said: “I have never seen anything like it, it was just a sea of yellow. And the noise was unbelievable.

“The chicks are only about a day old and are really tiny and quite delicate. Some of the birds were dead or dying when we arrived so some, sadly, had to be humanely put to sleep.

“Thankfully, most of the chicks did not appear to be suffering.

“The breeder came to the scene to collect the surviving birds and take them back to their unit. These tiny birds wouldn’t have survived long out on their own at such a young age and in such unpredictable weather conditions. For someone to dump these vulnerable chicks is unbelievable.”

Local people helped round up the birds into boxes and a breeder collected the survivors and took them back to his unit.

The chick producer is said to be fully co-operating with the RSPCA investigation.

Anyone with any information is asked to contact the RSPCA’s inspector appeal line on 0300 123 8018.