Chautauqua County Sheriff's Office P-J file photo

SHERMAN — A Sherman man is facing animal cruelty charges after 14 dead chickens were discovered locked in cages inside a chicken coop.

Deputies charged 43-year-old James L. Linger with overdriving and torturing an animal/ failure to provide sustenance.

Deputies responded April 18 to a residence in Sherman for a report of animal neglect. A new owner said they recently purchased the property and discovered an unattended chicken coop.

“While looking inside the coop, the new owner found approximately 14 dead chickens that appeared to have been locked in cages with no way out,” the Sheriff’s Office said in a press release. “After an investigation, deputies determined that James L. Linger was previous owner of the property and the chickens.”

Linger is scheduled to answer the charge in Sherman Town Court at a later date.