Four hens, one rooster, and some young chickens behind a gas station made the authorities start laying cases. After complaints about animal husbandry, suspected egg sales, and potential infection risks, the municipality, environmental office, county administrative board, and police were all involved. The gas station owner thinks the whole matter has become much bigger than the actual flock of hens.

It all began, as many big stories do nowadays, with a post in a local Facebook group. Just over a week ago, attention was drawn to a hen spotted adventuring on its own at the Gottröra gas station outside Norrtälje.

But the story didn’t end with an escaped hen. Soon, the matter had developed into an official case with significantly more actors than there were adult hens on site.

From Facebook Hen to Bureaucratic Case

A complaint was submitted to Norrtälje Municipality from a person concerned about the hens, which were kept in a grated trailer behind the station.

Additionally, there were suspicions that eggs from the birds could be sold inside the shop. Thus, the matter no longer only involved feathers and feet – there was now also a potential food safety and infection control aspect.

The municipality forwarded the case to the Southern Roslagen Environmental and Health Protection Office. From there, the animal husbandry question went on to the County Administrative Board in Stockholm. The machinery of government authorities had begun to grind. Or perhaps, to peck.

“We still considered that an unannounced inspection should be carried out in light of the possible egg sales,” writes Fredrik Axelsson at the Southern Roslagen Environmental and Health Protection Office.

The Hunt for the Potential Eggs

Last Wednesday, therefore, an unannounced inspection was carried out at the station. But the suspected egg scandal turned out to be pretty eggless. No irregularities were noted.

“There were no eggs from the hens sold in the shop, nor any indications of it. It was also assessed that there is no risk of infection between potential handling of the hens and food handling,” writes Fredrik Axelsson.

The question of which came first – the chicken or the egg – will, therefore, likely remain unsolved. At least in this case, the hens seem to have come before the suspected egg sales.

The County Administrative Board Also Involved

The County Administrative Board in Stockholm has also received a complaint. The authority does not want to comment on details in the specific case but announces that contact with the animal owner has been established.

“What we can say is that we have established contact with the animal owner and the prognosis is good,” writes animal welfare handler Sofie MacKenzie Cardy.

What the good prognosis means for the future of the affected poultry is not further specified.

Four Hens, One Rooster – and the Police

When Norrtelje Tidning reaches the station owner, Sherif al Ammo, his enthusiasm about the poultry matter is limited. He says he got the birds from a friend and that keeping them behind the station was only temporary while he arranged a permanent home for them.

– We’re going to remove them today. This has turned into one hell of a story, says Sherif al Ammo, also using words like ‘drama’ and ‘chaos’ to describe the fuss.

And the authorities’ interest did not stop at the municipality, the environmental and health office, and the county board. According to the station owner, even the police have been on site. At the center of the flap are four hens, one rooster, and some young chickens.

In other words, it’s unclear where the most clucking has taken place during the last week – behind the Gottröra gas station or among the various authorities.