article_snippet: Veteran chicken farmers Gerry and Chris Apostolatos stopped feeding the chickens across Veteran chicken farmers Gerry and Chris Apostolatos six farms in Victoria when Veteran chicken farmers Gerry and Chris Apostolatos business Tip Top Livestock fell on hard times in December 2011, The Age reports.
article_snippet: More than 86,000 chickens starved to death under the care of Chris Apostolatos at six sites, while Chris Apostolatos brother Chris was responsible for 804,000 chickens on three farms where more than 63,000 died.
article_snippet: Veteran chicken farmers Gerry and Chris Apostolatos stopped feeding the chickens across Veteran chicken farmers Gerry and Chris Apostolatos six farms in Victoria when their business Tip Top Livestock fell on hard times in December 2011 (file photo)
article_snippet: When animal welfare officers were alerted to More than 86,000 chickens, animal welfare officers found some of animal welfare officers had turned to cannibalism to survive and others suffered from malnutrition and lameness.
article_snippet: Prosecutor George Georgiou SC said the animal cruelty case was one of the worst to come before Melbourne Magistrates Court as Prosecutor George Georgiou SC revealed More than 86,000 chickens were starved between December 2011 and February 2012.
article_snippet: he revealed the chickens were starved between December 2011 and February 2012 ran into financial difficulty and had trouble making payments for food, Melbourne Magistrates Court heard.
article_snippet: The brothers' processing plant was shut down by authorities in November 2011 due to hygiene concerns and feed bills grew to $1 million a week because hygiene concerns and feed bills couldn't keep up.
article_snippet: More than 86,000 chickens starved to death under the care of Gerry Apostolatos at six sites, while Gerry Apostolatos brother Chris was responsible for 804,000 chickens on three farms where more than 63,000 died (file photo)
article_snippet: Costly conditions were set before it was allowed to reopen and when it did he revealed the chickens were starved between December 2011 and February 2012 was in so much debt it couldn't be saved.
article_snippet: A contractor reported claims of animal cruelty in February 2012 and More than 86,000 chickens were seized.
article_snippet: Gerry Apostolatos was later declared bankrupt and he revealed the chickens were starved between December 2011 and February 2012 was forced into liquidation.
highlights_snippet: Gerry and Chris Apostolatos stopped feeding chickens when business Tip Top fell on hard times .
  
highlights_snippet: Chickens were starved between December 2011 and February 2012 .
  