Bird owners are in a flap after a sophisticated chicken heist saw eight rare birds worth a whopping £400 'stolen to order' from a charity by birdnappers.

Staff were horrified to discover eight chickens, including Silkies, Bantams and Ayam Cemani were snatched from the chicken house dubbed Cluckingham Palace at Ouseburn Farm in Newcastle, Tyne and Wear, on Saturday night.

Farm Manager Katie Bates is convinced the rare female breeds were stolen to order as it involved a prepared vehicle with cages, vaulting over padlocked gates and entering the locked chicken house.

Katie, who manages the charity and working community farm said the break-in 'hurt more than the monetary value' of the chickens as it felt like a 'real invasion of our space'.

(Image: Kennedy News)

She is now urging people to be on the lookout for the birds, some hatched from eggs on the farm, which she hopes are 'being looked after' by their captors.

Katie said: "It's really devastating. All of our animals get so much care - they're cared for by the staff and beloved by visitors.

"We've also got a huge team of volunteers that love them. We support adults with additional needs.

"They're coming back next week and they're all going to be really, really upset. It's like a little farm family.

"Our farmer Richie hatched our Ayam Cemani from an egg. We're all just gutted that someone would come in and do that to us. 

"We've had them for so long from eggs and seen them grow.

"The Ayam Cemani survived through all the challenges she faced including bird flu, to survive that and then just get taken from us is brutal."

Gutted Katie said the birds were swiped at some time between 5pm on Saturday and 9am on Sunday morning.

Katie said: "The site's enclosed within gates that are locked and then Cluckingham Palace is secured so they can't get out, it's not like they've gone missing.

"It feels very much targeted with them only taking the female rare breeds.

"I can't imagine it being anyone in walking distance and to carry eight chickens that's a whole operation.

(Image: Kennedy News)

"They must have known they were there. It feels quite targeted, which makes it even sadder.

"I've no idea why they've stolen them, potentially to sell them on.

"It's more a personal connection but there's also the financial standpoint.

"We've lost our most valuable chickens - to replace them and to get some more security is a whole expense that [we don't need as] every penny is accounted for within our organisation."

Horrified supporters flooded the social media posts with comments expressing their disbelief at the theft.

One wrote: "You are kidding me?!? Honest my mind is blown."

Another said: "Some people’s actions disgust me. How anyone could do that to the community farm, the workers who love them, the visitors who make the effort to visit them and finally to those gorgeous animals themselves is beyond me. I have set up a donation to try to help in some small way.

“Fingers crossed they catch these vile idiots and get the chickens back home to Ouseburn."

A Northumbria Police spokesman said: "We received a report yesterday [Thursday], that at some point between Saturday, August 24, and Sunday, August 25, eight rare breed chickens had been stolen from Ouseburn Farm in Newcastle.

"Enquiries are ongoing to identify anyone involved.

"Anyone with information should contact Northumbria Police either by sending a direct message on social media, using the live chat function on the Force website or completing a crime update form. Please quote log number NP-20240829-0360."