Oklahoma Highway Patrol (OHP) troopers shot dozens of loose chickens after a semi-truck hauling poultry crashed on a busy Interstate 240 ramp in Oklahoma City on Tuesday morning, authorities said.

OHP officials told local outlet KOCO 5 the semi-trailer overturned on the westbound I-240 ramp to southbound Interstate 44, spilling cages and sending birds scattering across the roadway and shoulder. The ramp was briefly shut down as troopers and other responders tried to corral the animals and clear the wreckage before reopening the interchange, according to the report. (RELATED: Activist Felon Who Stole Chickens Now Has ‘Joker’ Actor’s Full Support)

“We shot the chickens,” Lt. Mark Southall told KOCO 5. “We did all we could to get them under control but they became a danger to motorists. … We had no other option.”

Roughly 50 chickens escaped after the crash, causing traffic problems on the ramp as drivers swerved or slowed to avoid the birds, OHP officials said. At least one truck struck a chicken before troopers began firing to eliminate the hazard, according to the outlet.

The Oklahoma Department of Agriculture was called to the scene but told troopers it could not take custody of the loose chickens, OHP told KOCO 5. The agency’s involvement and what will happen to any surviving chickens were not immediately clear.

Officials did not release information on potential citations or the condition of the truck driver, and OHP did not immediately respond to a request for additional details.