More than 20 chicks have found homes with veterinary staff after being rescued from a dumpster in Fairfax County, Virginia.

Late last week, Fairfax County Animal Protection Police were called to a shopping center in West Falls Church, where over 1,000 eggs had been abandoned in a dumpster. Many of the eggs were starting to hatch.

Animal Protection Police brought the eggs to the Pender Veterinary Centre in Fairfax, where staff put viable eggs in an incubator and helped them hatch successfully.

“The conditions the eggs were in before being pulled from the dumpster are unknown, and we are grateful that the chicks got the best chance possible under the care of Pender veterinary staff,” wrote the Fairfax County Animal Shelter in a Facebook post.

The shelter added that all the surviving chicks have adoptive homes lined up — all with Pender veterinary staff.