5,800 chickens spill out of overturned truck, CA cops say. Most will be euthanized

A semi-truck carrying chickens flipped on its side on Friday, causing 5,800 chickens to spill out onto the road, California police said.

The crash happened when the truck was exiting the 71 Freeway at Grand Avenue in Chino Hills and overturned, Cindy Bachman, public information officer for the San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department, told McClatchy News.

Half of the chickens died, and animal control also responded to the incident, Bachman said.

Around 75% of the surviving chickens will have to be euthanized because of their injuries, NBCLA reported.

The Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals and the Inland Valley Humane Society were able to rescue some of the chickens, the Los Angeles Times reported.

“Off-ramp and all eastbound lanes of Grand Ave. closed,” read a post on Chino Hills’ official Twitter account. “Eastbound motorists detoured onto southbound SR71.”

Authorities still haven’t cleared the scene, and eastbound lanes will be closed until the truck is removed, according to Bachman. There were no injuries to the driver or other vehicles involved.

This story was originally published January 17, 2020 at 12:38 PM with the headline "5,800 chickens spill out of overturned truck, CA cops say. Most will be euthanized."