Yannathan man Wayne Peachey guilty of inadequate chicken husbandry

A South Gippsland man has been convicted and fined after failing to provide adequate husbandry to hundreds of his chickens.

Yannathan man Wayne Peachey has been fined and convicted after failing to provide adequate husbandry to hundreds of chickens. Picture: Andy Rogers

A South Gippsland poultry owner has been slapped with a five figure fine and convicted after being found guilty of failing to provide adequate husbandry to hundreds of chickens.

Appearing in the Dandenong Magistrates Court recently, Yannathan man Wayne Peachey was also found guilty of failing to have a Property Identification Code (PIC) for the birds.

Agriculture Victoria program manager animal health and welfare compliance Daniel Bode said officers visited Peachey’s property on multiple occasions in 2021.

“Our officers first attended the property in March of 2021 and found approximately 200 poultry either ranging the property or in cages,” Mr Bode said.

“Unfortunately the condition of many of the birds and their cages was very poor, with stagnant, oily green water, large amounts of litter across the property, including food scraps and plastic containers that could injure or entangle birds.

“Mr Peachey was given a number of notices to comply requiring him to provide his birds with water and food as well as provide any sick birds with veterinary or other appropriate care and treatment, which was not adequately complied with.”

The court heard Agriculture Victoria also found Peachey did not have a registered PIC for the property where he had been keeping the poultry.

When sentencing Peachy, Magistrate Tony Burns said: “This is a serious matter and the husbandry is an absolute obligation by the owner to treat all animals humanely and free from cruelty.”

Peachey was convicted and fined $10,000. A 10-year conditional order requiring that all animal husbandry requirements are met, including veterinary care and treatment was also imposed by the court.

Last year a Gippsland farmer was convicted and fined after pleading guilty to animal cruelty charges for leaving one of his cattle with untreated eye cancer.