The executive director at the Windsor-Essex County Humane Society says there has been a huge response from the community after a box of live chickens was left at a Windsor Value Village.

“The person who opened the box was rather startled,” says Melanie Coulter, after humane society officials picked the box up Saturday afternoon.

Coulter can’t say for certain how old the young chickens are, but says they’ll be put up for adoption later this week. “They have to pass their stray period so they wouldn’t be assessed and prepared for adoption until then,” she says. “We’re looking at probably Thursday or Friday.”

The humane society doesn’t get chickens often, but Coulter says after this incident, officials now know who to contact in the future. “It’s nice because now we have some resources, people to call on.”