The Great Huron County Chicken Heist(s)

 Have You Seen These Chicks, Or Any of the Other 44,996?

   Perhaps it is because I grew up on the Eastern Shore of Maryland, where Perdue is located and poultry and pullets were often discussed, that I noticed recently a report which indicated that 30,000 chicks were stolen from a farm here in southern Ontario. Soon after that, another 15,000 went missing from the same farm near Exeter in Huron County. Apparently this farmer was not guarding the henhouse.

   The raising of poultry is still very important on the Eastern Shore and Perdue is one of the largest agribusinesses in the U.S.. Ontario is Canada’s largest chicken producer and those involved contribute $5 billion to the province’s economy. Although the scale of the operations, both here and in Maryland is huge, one would think that the stealing of 45,000 chicks is worth noting and that the monetary loss is not just ‘chicken feed.’ The stealing of 45,000 of anything is worth noting.

   I am noting it here, for two reasons. The chickens are still missing and the thefts have not been solved. If you know anything about this heist, call the Huron County OPP. I also think that the great Ontario chicken thefts will be a major story on CBS’s 60 Minutes or NBC’s Dateline, either soon (since it is a big story), or when the thieves are caught (which surely will be an interesting one.) If you watch only the CBC, you will appreciate the background I am providing and will not be totally surprised when this news appears in the U.S. and eventually comes to your attention. That such a story will not be on the CBC is explained by the fact that it is lacking in diversity, in that all of the members of the flock were of the same colour and age. As well, no Indigenous people were involved, as far as we know. 

  The questions you now have are many, the first one likely to be, “Why such a rambling prologue?” The others will be related more directly to the crime(s) and I will quickly present some here, along with brief answers which can be verified by consulting the sources provided.

   How does one sneak up on a farmer or the chicks, in the middle of the night without causing a bit of a ruckus? Particularly since more than one person would have to be involved, along with some very large vehicles. How does one corral 30,000 chicks and then have enough nerve remaining to return and grab 15,000 more? Or, are there other groups of chicken stealers? Is this only a misdemeanour, or are the 45,000 chicks worth something? Each chick costs about $1.40 and that number is a small one compared to the number of eggs they would have produced, or the number of breasts for the BBQs. These issues and more are covered in the references below, but the major question, “Who stole the chicks?” remains unanswered at this time.

   Readers of Mulcahy's Miscellany who noticed my recent post about urban crime, (Signs of the Times - Shoplifting), may now have another question about the magnitude of criminal activities in the country. In short, other farm thefts have been recorded and you now have something else to worry about. For example:

- Not long ago, 44 pigs were stolen from a farm near Stratford and in 2019 

130 pigs disappeared in South West Oxford Township. The pigs were much heavier than the chicks;

- Eight beehives were taken from a bee-keeper near Peterborough;

- Using as many as a dozen trucks, 400 tonnes of corn were taken from a farm northeast of Montreal and that probably reminds you of "The Great Canadian Maple Syrup Heist", when 16,000 barrels of it were taken from a warehouse in Quebec.

-Even dead animals aren't safe. In Caledon, around $1.5 million worth of moose, elk and stag antlers were stolen from a taxidermist.

Sources:

"30,000 Chicks Stolen From Huron County Farm," CBC, April 21, 2023.
"Someone Stole 30,000 Chicks From Ontario Farm," National Post, April 24, 2023.

"Police Investigate 30,000 Chicks Stolen in Ontario," AGDAILY, April 24, 2023.

"How Does Someone Steal 30,000 Baby Chickens," Calvi Leon, London Free Press, May 16, 2023.

"Great Exeter Chicken Heist Still a Mystery," Calvi Leon, Clinton News-Record, May 24, 2023.

The Second Theft:

"Another 15,000 Chicks Reported Missing From Ontario Chicken Farm," Kevin Nielsen, Global News, June 19, 2023.

"More Chicks Stolen From Ontario Farm," Andrew Joseph, Farms.com. June 20, 2023.

"$1.5 Million Worth of Antlers Stolen From Ont. Taxidermy Shop," London Free Press, Aug. 14, 2016.

Nothing Is Sacred and Nothing Is Safe.