The chickens were discovered by police in the privately owned shed north of Eaglehawk yesterday.

They are believed to have been left without food for up to eight weeks.

The Department of Primary Industries has transported the surviving 5000 chickens to a farm in Narre Warren, east of Melbourne. 

DPI inspectors interviewed the property owner, and a number of other people, in relation to the incident.

The chicken grower, who did not want to be identified, leases the shed where the chickens were found and said he had been left with no money to buy feed, following ongoing problems with a supply contract.

He said it was a dire financial situation and that the past few weeks had been “horrific”.

“I’m shattered. It’s not a case of not feeding the birds because we didn’t want to,” he said.

“This was my livelihood. As of today we have no birds on the farm.”

The man said the operation grew roosters to be sold mainly to Chinese restaurants in Melbourne.

Most roosters that died of starvation were aged about 12 weeks.

The man, who has grown birds at the shed for the past 18 months, said it was a “heart-wrenching” position to be unable to afford pellets for the chickens.

“It’s a result of a business agreement not being adhered to... we did the best we could with what we had.

“This industry has a lot of heartache. In this case it was a breakdown in negotiations with the buyer, grower and feed company. We’ve been left out of pocket a significant amount.”

DPI animal health inspectors and police spent the day at the Woodvale farm.

A DPI spokesman said the investigation was ongoing and no charges had yet been laid.

The company that buys birds from the site could not be reached for comment.