Alabama chicken litter broker dies in farm equipment accident

A 71-year-old Alabama man died July 1 after becoming trapped in a piece of equipment used to load poultry litter at a Lawrence County poultry farm, according to local authorities.

Jehu Hester of Russellville was identified as the victim. County Coroner Scott Norwood said emergency crews were dispatched to a farm on County Road 136 after reports that someone was trapped in a chicken litter elevator. By the time first responders arrived, the incident had become a recovery operation, according to FOX54 News.

Norwood said Hester worked as a chicken litter broker, purchasing poultry litter from farmers and selling it for use as fertilizer.

According to WAAY 31, Hester had been missing since the previous evening after his truck was found still running but unattended.

“Mr. Hester had been missing since last night. They had actually come down and check the truck last night. The truck was still running, but no one was present. The farm workers discovered him this morning and then that’s when they called 911,” Norwood told WAAY 31.

Chicken litter elevators, sometimes referred to as conveyor or auger systems, are used to move poultry litter into tractor-trailers for transport.

Norwood told WAAY 31 that the equipment poses significant hazards if clothing or other objects become caught.

“He was trapped in the elevator, he got stuck in the elevator. This elevator is very powerful, it can pull you into the elevator if you have loose fitting clothing or anything,” Norwood said.

The coroner ruled Hester’s death accidental. The official cause of death was blunt force trauma, according to Norwood. Norwood also told local media outlets the incident was the first fatal agriculture-related accident reported in Lawrence County this year.

While fatalities involving poultry litter handling equipment are uncommon, agricultural machinery remains one of the leading causes of workplace deaths in farming. Safety experts encourage operators to shut down and lock out equipment before performing maintenance or attempting to clear blockages, avoid loose-fitting clothing around moving machinery, and ensure equipment guards are properly in place.

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