Vic students behead chicken in prank

A chicken has been beheaded and hung from a fence at a Victorian school in a gory muck-up day prank.

The RSPCA says it appears the bird's death was a result of a deliberate act of cruelty, rather than an accident.

The school has not been named but it's believed to be located in the Melbourne metropolitan area.

Senior RSPCA Inspector Simon Primrose says the incident is one of many reports received by his organisation as Year 12 students celebrate the end of their schooling.

A plan to hide chickens in lockers at another school was stopped before it was carried out, as were plans to bring a goat to class.

Two goats were also removed from a Point Cook school by the local council after they were spray painted with potentially toxic paint.

"What they think may be a harmless prank can end up with criminal charges being laid," Mr Primrose told AAP on Friday.

"The penalties for these kinds of incidents can be up to two years in jail and banned from having any pets for 10 years."