Acting on an anonymous tip, authorities discovered nearly 50,000 abandoned chickens at an egg farm just south of Modesto, Calif. The hens hadn’t been fed for two weeks, the Modesto Bee reported, and nearly all were so sick they had to be euthanized.
The birds’ carcasses were sent to a landfill; about 2,000 surviving hens were sent to sanctuaries where they are being treated and will be adopted out as companions.
A&L Poultry, the owner of the abandoned egg farm, issued an apology by way of Fox40, saying the company was shutting down its egg production.
The company stated the chickens were abandoned by accident: “An attempt to arrange for delivery of the chickens to a third party in order to avoid the usual business practice of euthanizing the chickens resulted in an unacceptable situation A&L Poultry did not intend, and profoundly regrets.”
Annette Patton, the executive director of Stanislaus Animal Services Agency, told the Modesto Bee that she will ask the Stanislaus County district attorney’s office next week to prosecute the owner of A&L Poultry, Andy Keung Cheung.
A&L Poultry produced between 12.5 million and 15 million eggs a year, which, although a large number, represents a fraction of the egg production industry in that county, the Modesto Bee reported.
More content from msnbc.com and NBC News


Sure--it was an accident!
Thsi should never have happened but it could happen anywhere in the world....this is about one individual not following through on his responsibility to the animals in his care....conservative or liberal has not a thing to do with this you indiots who have posted this crap. Is everything today down to liberal or conservative?! What, a conservative has never done a bad thing in their life? Unbelievable retoric. Shame on you...I live in the central valley and I am one of the few liberals here but it has nothing to do with treating animals in one's care with respect and decency. Quit using any story to spread your hate of liberals. Respect others opinions on politics and they will respect yours but don't use your politics as an excuse to attack liberals on issues that are not political in nature becsuse you have bought into the lies about liberals being bad people. That is political racism. These poor chickens were not a product of liberalism! How absurd.
So please what the difference is if a chicken is butchered and eaten, gets hit by a car, eaten by a fox, or starves to death, the end result is the same, the chicken is dead.
There is a lot of suffereing that goes with starvation. How would you rather die?
Ok, we'll let you starve instead of dying a natural death. See how you like it punk.
Let me guess. You're a vegetarian, right?
You're absolutely right Jxd43 - that's why it's ok to rape and murder cancer patients or set dying infants on fire. I don't know what all the fuss is about, the world is very black and white for Jxd43 and me.
Yes indeed this area is more Reeepublican than not. Strange that this area is also economically depressed and has been for as long as I've been walking the earth...58 years worth. So when anyone starts in about Liberal California...spend some time around Stanislaus County and the Modesto area. It is depressing to to be there let alone live there again...which I will not!!
As to this "Ido" person...where might you live...state wise? I have an idea...last time I checked...many other...Reeeepublican minded states...are still takers and not givers. If you do not understand then you need to edicate yourself. Modesto does grow a lot of poultry and eggs. You blab off and I bet you do not even know where Turkey Tech is~!
Botton line is...I suppose there isn't any other state where teachers are engaging in sex abuse and gays are the primary constituent voters. Funny...last time I checked Utah was the gay capitol of the USA....hmmmm. If you are gleening...or anyone who has imaginary notions created by Fake News and a drug addict named Fat Boy Rush Limbaugh...that California isn't a great place to live....and it is...and we're headed back this year to get away from the rediculous mindset we live in now....folks tht blurt out unturths like yo are need to simply go away.
Many small producers of eggs in the Central Valley...knowing this mindset as well...this dude probably didn't have the money to deal with the shut down...OR THE EGG RANCH WOULDN'T HAVE SHUT DOWN!!! Indeed he should be prosecuted...or at least have to pay for the cleanup costs...even if it means doing this via picking up trash off the roadways. Cost money to put someone in jail. Learn the facts Ido...cause you kon wnothing it appears!!
The Republicans aren't in charge, you @!$%#, The DEMOCRATS are, and you're @!$%# s running the show!
Wow, Ralph, what did you do to show off your mighty intellect and advanced analytical skills before Newsvine came along?
Buster B.: That is one of the greatest areas I've ever VISITED. The orginal Cali wine country, beautiful scenery, great people. But no way to make a living for someone like me if I wanted to move there, as I'm not competitive as an ag worker, especially at this age. So, I understand why you're gone but can't see why you don't seem to MISS IT.
sorry dude, but spellcheck is something you should really use more often.
I have 1 question - how can you make a chicken a companion?
Smooth talk and a little alcohol.
Driving a Corvette helps too.
Ralf...hahah!
No different than having a cat. You pet it, you feed it, water it. Clean up after it. My sister and I each had a pet chicken when we were kids. They lived outside so the clean up was easy. But other wise it was just a pet.
Thanks, ralf. I actually lol'd at that one.
See comments 12.1 and 12.2
Katherine,
I too grew up on a farm. I write to bring out the irony in life. No one should starve an animal. But no one should think a chicken is a campanion either. Gary Dahl made a million dollars selling pet rocks. If I had to make a decision between a pet rock and companion chicken, I'd take the rock. At least it wouldn't eat it's own crap.
ralf
Ralf,
I'm glad you agree no one should starve an animal.
Why shouldn't someone think a chicken can be a companion? It might not be for everyone, but I don't think my thoughts on chickens as companions are harming anyone, least of all the chickens.
I'll give you the benefit of the doubt on poop-eating chickens. If you were raised on a farm, you must have seen it, I've never seen them do that. I've seen a few misguided dogs do it, but no chickens. Thanks for the info.
On the other hand, none of our chickens (not one!) ever put their beak on my plate, or have come up and licked my face. I love dogs, but my dogs always have their face in my face. They are wonderful companions also, so I've learned to live with it. If I saw any of them eating poop, however, I'd probably be a little less enthusiastic about their affection.
By accident my azz
Capitalism at it's best.
This happens more that you would think....a lot of farmers and people who own livestock are experiencing tough times right now and they seem to have a problem with asking for help before it gets bad. Might be pride but also embarrassment that they can't do their jobs and care for their animals properly. It's a tragedy for them as well as the animals. Farmers have a lot of pride about what they do. But they have to step up and do the right thing when they need help and can't feed or take good care of their animals. There are safety nets and people who can step in and help them. And the older farmers may not know this and feel a lot of shame and don't get help. There have been several cases in the central valley in the last couple of years. But the number one thing to remember is to think of the animal first..get them help....if you are compassionate. Starving is a horrible death and so is lack of access to clean water and stalls, etc. Please farmers everywhere think of your animals even if it's hard for you to do above your own failings and circumstances. You cannot hide behind saying you forgot...this is your business and you know exactly what your animals needs are. Pride before a fall...it's true.
Let the farmers starve.
And who is at fault? Bush?
Fatten them up and sell them to the Colonel.
Original Recipe. Yummy
Extra Crispy is better.
Lots of people have chickens as pets and also for the eggs. I grew up with chickens in my back yard in the bay area. We loved them. I even took the chickens to school when I was kid on "sharing" day. My daughters, in turn, took chickens from my parent's home to share also and loved them as well. We are normal ...we have have cats and dogs as part of our family but chickens can be part of a lonely person's life too. A live animal that one can have companionship with is a wonderful thing...even if it's a chicken.
A&L Poultry, and it's owner Andy Cheung must be REALLY on the rocks, or very stupid! Was this the ONLY egg facility, that Cheung owned? Not making a profit? Couldn't afford food and water? The article states that they were GOING to transfer them to a third party. Or, they were going to euthanize the chickens. Without more information, the REASON for this stupidity will remain a mystery.
Exactly how do you euthanize 50,000 chickens? One by one? I doubt it.
KFC serves up more than 626,000 every day.
klondiko:
Sure that you really want to know?
It's just another sad state of affairs in our world. Of course, that's the attitude of people I don't care. Well eventually we will care or be caused to care. So ruinous.
I wish animals would run the world and give people a taste of their own medicine. I'd laugh and laugh with all of us screaming "i'm in pain, help me" as the animals say "now you know what it feels like" If only it were true......
Are you really that myopic? I could have said retarded but didn't.Anthropomorphize much?A chicken is genius I suppose compared to a goldfish but only that.Yes it was bad,but jeez.It wasn't 50,000 fluffy puppies.
The book, I believe it is tittled "Animal Farm". Hmm maybe not. and it was made into a movie. Kind og sad. Didn't end so good.
Those poor chickens! I love my chickens, and I handle them daily. They each lay one egg a day. I got 5 chickens. My guinea lays too
Does the guinea ever try to hide her little-bitty eggs from you like my family's did? Do you prepare her eggs right along with the chickens? Is she the traditional-looking kind? I always said you were really out in the country when you got to where there were white guineas; dad said his never made it to adulthood so after a few attempts they just stuck with the "regular" ones. Bet nobody ever sneaks up on you!
My guinea does not hide her eggs. She lays in the nest with the other chickens. They all lay in the same nest. They wait to lay. The guinea is white, helmethead. She is the boss of the flock. She does make her cackling noise if she sees anything she is not familiar with. She stays inside the coop with the chickens, and they all go outside in their pen with top netting so they can' t fly out.
Thanks for the info, what a sweet setup. (You do realize, don't you, that dozens of viners think that you called me "helmethead", don't you? LOL)
Who owns the farm? Obama and the Democrats? It sounds just like something those heartless whores would do!
How many times are you going to mention Bush, Obama, Democrats, Republicans? Guys like you LOVE stuff like this just so you can bitch. Well, bitch all you want, but try being a little less redundant.
Katherine, I totally agree with you
I forogt!?!?!?
I would like place the battered owner into a deep fryer and forget he is in the frying!
wow some peopel are jus sick in th ehead,if they cant make a profit they would rather kill 20000 animlas,why cant i ever get my hands on people like this really,this is why i dont work as a police officer or anything like that,cause i would really beat this guys face in,why cause i can,and he needs it,people make me sick in the state when it comes to animals,you all would rather kill them let them stave,you make me sick,and i hope you die in the worse way a person could,really like hope you burn to death,i love animals more tthen our @!$%#ed up @!$%#ty ass race of humans.
This is unexcusable! And they apologized as if that was enough to make this all right. They could have simply called the soup factory and those poor birds would at least not have suffered. Sounds to me that they simply walked away and never looked back! 50,000 birds=50,000 animal cruelty charges! Off with their heads!
Clebro is a troll.........FU Clebro.
I guess we'll have to excuse clebro. He's showing off, and worse, he thinks he's funny.
Will A&L be fined for animal cruelty and needless waste? An apology doesn't excuse that kind of moral filth.
God and you wonder why there is the stirring of civil war. The Right Wing's butt burbing unedicated repeat of Fake News. Let us repeat...it is not the eating or slauder of chickens oh briiliant ones....it's the mindless insulting of common sense that I truly so not believe Right Wingers practice...referring to Rush Limbaugh barfing as fact of Hannity's arrogance to his greed...I respect the working gals in Nevada..I do not respect political whores..which is exactly what you find on any conservative bobble heads.
Modesto is a scum hole...mostly....it has never prospered and it has always had high unemployment rates. You know....mostly conservative minded that love enriching the Have and the Have Mores.
And that's a fact....I was finally able to remove myself from that septic tank and have no intensions of ever going back.....and I know my politics Reeeepublicans....as I've heard many of Righties say..I editcated myself!!
I agree with Morlack, you just cant forget 50,000 chickens!! I hope this guy is going to have stomach ache for the rest of his life.
See folks, in the landofthegook, this sort of behavior is how business is done. As the government of the people, by the people, for the people, shirk the responsibility that the people hired them to do, you will experience more of this practice as a normal practice.
Wow, thanks for making this about race rather than animal cruelty! Of course, it's about politics too, as if you are conservative you cannot love and care about animals. No decent person thinks that letting 50,000 birds starve is the right thing to do, regardless of their race or political affiliation. If you say differently, you are incorrect.
.......WHAT?
William thinks that this is a racial issue. A bunch of other posters think that the chickens starved because their erstwhile owners were liberals, or conservatives. None of that makes any sense! These chickens were victims of ANIMAL CRUELTY, not racism, sexism, or a political affiliation or philosophy.
Forgot the chicken were there or it was an oversight. Give me a break. They just wanted to be rid of the chickens. Hope they throw the book at them.