A teenager has been banned from keeping birds for two years after starving some of his chickens to death.
Following an investigation by the RSPCA Bradley Head, 19, yesterday (Mon) admitted four breaches of the Animal Welfare Act in relation to chickens he was keeping in a field at Copthorne Bank in Copthorne between January, 25 and February 1 last year.
Andrew Kirby, an inspector with the animal cruelty charity attended the field and found eight dead chicken and 14 other birds in a thin condition – two of which were immediately put to sleep.
19-year-old Head had during an interview following the discovery that he suffered a motorbike accident and hand found another man on Facebook who, he claimed, had offered to look after the birds for him.
But despite being told on numerous occasions that the birds were suffering he failed to take action to improve their treatment.
He appeared at Redhill Magistrates' Court on Monday and admitted two charges of causing unnecessary suffering and two of failing to meet the welfare needs of a number of the birds.
As well as being banned from keeping chickens for two years Head was fined £110 and ordered to pay a £20 victim surcharge and £500 costs.
Inspector Kirby, from the RSPCA, said: "There was no food or water in one of the pens when I visited the field. Some of the birds had literally starved to death.
"He was told several times that the birds were dead and dying, but he did nothing about it.
"Head claimed that he had arranged for the birds to be looked after by someone else, but he is still responsible for ensuring that they are being properly cared for."
Inspector Kirby said Head did not even have a phone number for the person who claimed they would look after his birds and investigations into a given address had shown the details to be false.
