It took over three hours for authorities to clear the scene of an overturned chicken truck on Ga. Highway 316 in Oconee County near Barrow County Friday morning.

Chief Deputy Lee Weems of the Oconee County Sheriff's Office said the truck somehow overturned blocking both westbound lanes around 5:30 a.m.  No other vehicles were involved. Weems said when he arrived on the scene the driver had already been transported to a local hospital for observation, though responders indicated the driver wasn't injured.  Details about the cause of the accident and the identity of the driver weren't available.

An estimated 200 chickens were loose in the roadway and many others were still in cages.  Forklifts were used to set them back onto the bed of the truck, which was then towed by a wrecker, Weems said.

The Georgia State Patrol is investigating along with the Motor Carrier Compliance division of the Department of Public Safety.  Department of Transportation workers were also on the scene as were members of the Department of Agriculture to monitor that all chickens were loaded back onto the truck so that it could be properly weighed and the farmer could be compensated, Weems explained.  Oconee County Fire and Rescue also responded.

A mitigation team was brought in to cleanup the highway and will return later in the day with a load of dirt to cover up any mess that may still be on the side of the road, he said.

A detour was set up via Dials Mill Road and by 9 a.m., the highway was reopened.