Keeping in mind that Uncle Wayne was born in 1928 and grew up on a farm during the Great Depression, my Dad says they had to make their own fun. So one day Uncle Wayne decided to electrify the chicken coop. I don't know that anyone in the family actually knows exactly *how* Uncle Wayne managed to do this but he wired it so every single perch had a wire and current running along it when the master switch was thrown. And it being my Uncle had a sense of humor very much like my own, he waited until all the chickens had gone in to roost for the night before he turned it on. My Dad said you never saw chickens move so fast or so many feathers flying.
Admittedly if something like this were done today there would be some major animal abuse issues and I don't condone shocking your chickens in any way - it's just one of those stories that float around in families. Like the guillotine my Dad and uncle built to kill the chickens for supper or the hissing frogs under the chicken feed. Or the shock plate under the chicken feed.
I'm always amazed my Grandmother had any eggs to feed the family. *grin*
I have my Chemistry final tomorrow and I don't think I'm going to pass the first time around. *whimper* Where's Horatio when I need him?