By Callum Ludwig
Yarra Glen Primary School students and staff had a worrying start to their week when they arrived to find the front entrance egged and their much-loved silky hens loose in the schoolyard.
The offenders had broken into the school’s chicken coop, letting the chickens out in the process, and used the school’s own eggs in the offence, heading around to the front of the school from the back where the coop is located and ‘egging’ the windows.
Yarra Glen Primary School’s Business Manager Penny Lamble said it was the second time the chicken coop has been broken into.
“We have five beautiful silky hens that are the pets of the students here, because they are only little, they could quite easily have been taken by predators like cats or hawks,” she said.
“The first time was on the long weekend in June when they broke in and they stole the chicken cart that the children use to take the chickens for a walk in.”
The offenders were able to gain access to the coop as students had accidentally not locked it properly.
Ms Lamble said luckily the hens are safe after the incident..
“It’s sad when they do this to the school, the children love the chickens. We’ve found it very hard to get rid of the smell of the smashed eggs,” she said.
“Just leave the chickens alone please, if you’re bored, come and do some gardening or come and help out at the school, don’t wreck the school. The school is for the community, we love our little school and we just want to look after it.”
After the last offence, a replacement for the much-loved and well-used chicken cart was supplied by Bunnings in Chirnside Park.
The offences were reported to the Yarra Glen Police Station.
