Thousands of dead chickens spilled from an overturned truck on the A2 have caused the road to be closed heading northwards from Eindhoven, reports NOS.

The truck, which had a trailer full of 3,200 chickens, overturned early on Tuesday morning and many of the fowl died in the crash or in collisions with cars. The road is closed from De Hogt junction while vets examine the surviving chickens and rescue those with a chance of survival.

Rijkswaterstaat, the Dutch transport authority, says the junction is completely closed going north, and advises people to use the A73, A50 and A15, or the parallel N2 (although only one lane is open). Spokesman Jaap Folkerts told NOS the road will be closed until midday: ‘When all the chickens are assessed and removed, the truck needs to be recovered,’ he said. ‘There is often oil on the road surface which will need to be cleaned.’

Omroep Brabant reports that the truck driver is unharmed and police are investigating the cause of the accident.