Straps prevent answer to age-old question: Why did the chicken cross the road?

The age-old question of “Why did the chicken cross the road?” will remain unanswered today due to quick thinking and a few handy straps.

The scene on Interstate 20. (Photo by David Day)

The cages below were buckling, causing the payload to shift. Additional straps helped secure it long enough for backup to arrive. (Photo by David Day)

The incident began around 9 a.m. when a truck transporting live chickens from Monroe, LA, came to an unexpected halt as the driver noticed a row of caged chickens leaning out of place.

Realizing the potential danger of an imminent chicken avalanche, the quick-thinking driver promptly contacted local authorities and those who needed to be contacted out of Monroe.

The truck was carrying a load of 4,320 chickens. The first rows of that load was in danger of spilling over into the roadway, allowing a flock of chickens to potentially be freed from their cages.

The imminent fallout posed a grave risk to the safety of unsuspecting travelers along Interstate 20. Vicksburg Police, recognizing the urgency of the situation, promptly closed one lane surrounding the scene.

Temporary help came in the form of some extra straps to help secure the ever-leaning load. However, even with the reinforcement of additional straps, the cages below continued to give way under the immense weight and awkward position of the row of cages.

Vicksburg Daily News was on the scene as the incident unfolded.

The straps, however, provided enough time for Bears Towing from Monroe to arrive and secure the payload. With assistance from the Vicksburg Police Department, the cages were unloaded.

One chicken tried to flee the scene but was quickly appre”hen”ded.