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A Delmar, Md. Man is in custody after being accused of wandering into a chicken house after a nearby concert in a drunken state and turning off the power, killing 20,000 of the birds
A Wicomico County Sheriff’s deputy was called to a farm over the weekend near the Delaware line and was told by the owner that power had been cut off to his three chicken houses, leaving nearly 20,000 of the 70,000 chickens dead .
The deputy was directed to a man who appeared to be passed out on the floor clad in a t shirt and boxer shorts. The deputy managed to wake the subject and identified him as Joshua Shelton of Delmar.
Shelton said the last thing he remembered was being on the property after a nearby concert. He did not know how he ended up in the shed. Shelton allegedly tripped circuit breakers while drunk depriving the birds of fans, food and water.
It is believed that the chickens in the three houses numbered close to 70,000 with an estimated value of $20,000. The chickens were due to be delivered to a local processing plant the following day.
Shelton is now being held on burglary, trespassing and malicious destruction of property charges. He is being held in lieu of $75,000 bond.
