Thirty-two chickens were found dead and 46 reported missing in a "highly unusual" overnight or early morning attack on a chicken coop in the Fair Oaks area, authorities said Thursday.
Only four medium-sized chickens of reddish coloring survived the attack and were found huddled together in what animal control experts described as a "clearly traumatized"state, according to Fairfax County police spokeswoman Lucy Caldwell.
Police said they think the most likely culprit was an animal.
Officers were called to the coop around 8 a.m. after a neighbor reported seeing dozens of lifeless chickens in the pasture of a farm in the 5200 block of Winfield Road, Caldwell said.
A portion of the electric fence surrounding the chicken coop had been trampled, Caldwell said.
"It was a vicious attack, savage," Caldwell said. "The chickens were found in varying states, with a number of injuries, some of them serious."
Police did not know who or what was responsible for the attack. No footprints or animal paw prints were found on the scene of the attack, according to Caldwell.
The coop is located on a farm in what Caldwell described as a "quiet, bucolic neighborhood." The chickens in the other coop on the property were unharmed.
Police are searching for the 46 missing chickens, she said. It is unclear if they are wandering Fairfax County or have fallen victim to predatory animals.
The coop is located on a farm in what Caldwell described as a "quiet, bucolic neighborhood." The chickens in the other coop on the property were unharmed.
Police are searching for the 46 missing chickens, she said. It is unclear if they are wandering Fairfax County or have fallen victim to predatory animals.
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