Police had to be called to a farm shop in Gateshead after people tried to climb a 6ft wall to get their hands on free hens.
Following the death of the owner of Oaklands Market Garden, near Swalwell roundabout, in Blaydon , a post began circulating on Facebook and other social media sites about the urgent need to re-home 500 chickens.
Those able to re-home the young hens had been invited to stop by the market daily from 10am to 1pm to pick up the birds.
However the premises were locked on Friday and police were asking the public not to visit the site.
Officers were called to the market following complaints from neighbours that people were ignoring the fact the shop was locked up and were jumping the 6ft wall around the premises in an effort to grab the chickens.
PC Caroline Jones said: "Please do not come to the market today, the shop is closed and locked up.
"We are aware that people have been jumping the 6ft wall around the garden centre and grabbing the chickens, in some cases being very heavy handed when passing them over the walls.
"Regardless of what a post may say on Facebook, it is never OK to climb a wall and enter a locked premises. If it’s locked, it’s locked for a reason and please exercise some common sense.
"Please also remember that a man has died and a family are grieving, please be respectful."
The original poster of the Facebook status has been contacted about the matter.
