It was a race against the cluck as California Highway Patrol officers scrambled to rescue nearly 20 chickens that ran through highway lanes near Los Angeles.

Officer say the birds blocked a portion of Interstate 605 in the Norwalk area Tuesday morning after their cage fell from the back of a truck.

The agency tweeted photos and video of the chickens on the highway and a motorcycle officer collecting them.

ICYMI, this morning: CHiPs rescuing chicks on I-605. “10-15 (Officer has in-custody) times 17…chickens, that is!” #WhyDidTheChickenCrossTheRoad#WeLikeFastFood but not on the freeway! Chicken-wrangling video in follow-up tweet. pic.twitter.com/cIoDHgNNx9

— CHP Santa Fe Springs (@CHP_SFS) January 2, 2018

Officers managed to rescue 17 birds. Two died.

The driver transporting the chickens was unaware that the birds had fallen off the truck and did not stop.

We took these guys into custody without any trouble. They were too chicken to fight. pic.twitter.com/agQioGoC4a

— CHP Santa Fe Springs (@CHP_SFS) January 2, 2018