FAQs

Frequently asked questions around Chicken-hunting

How does the game work?

Put simply, someone dresses up as a chicken and hides in a pub or bar. Everyone else playing has to find the chicken, usually over two hours, completing challenges to earn additional points as they go. A location tracker shows the area where the chicken is hiding, shrinking every two minutes over the course of the game.
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If you're playing a Weapons game, various Nests appear on the map where items can be picked up to either sabotage other teams or help you find the Chicken faster.

How much does it cost?

Game start at £15/pp, you can see our pricing on our homepage.

We also provide an optional In-person Host, a member of our team that introduces the game and runs your experience. This starts at £300 for a game in London, if elsewhere just get in touch before booking to discuss.

Where can we play the game?

You can play in any city in the world.

It's a brilliant experience in any pedestrian-friendly parts of the city with lots of potential hiding spots (we recommend pubs or bars). While the game was born in London, we've seen Chickens hunted all over the place - from Sydney to New York!

Can I use public transport?

Yes! However, we've found teams rarely use it. A game area (the big out-of-bounds circle) is usually a max. 30-minute walk across, so teams don't need to cover that much ground and walking is enough.

There have been some exceptions in the past. Some groups like to start their game from a location outside of the game area (eg. an office) and then take a train / metro / tube into the game area during the early stages of the game.

Having your group heading into the Chicken-hunting zone together can be fun, it feels like you're going to war.

When can we play the game?

You can play almost any time anywhere. As most games usually involve hiding Chickens in pubs and bars, we recommend playing between 11am-9pm so that as many venues are open as possible. But we have seen games take place both earlier and later in some instances.

How long does the game take?

The usual length is two hours. We can adapt the game to make it last between one and three hours, but we think two hours is best. We also recommend factoring in half an hour at the beginning and the end of the game for the setup and debrief.

How many people can play the game?

The game can be played with as few as 3 people - this would be 1 Chicken and two hunters racing against each other - but we generally say "the more the merrier". Technically, the game has a limit at 1024 players, but our current record is just shy of 200 players.

How do the challenges work?

There are up to 20 challenges in each game, which teams complete and send in photos or videos of them doing them. The chicken then decides how many points they think their effort deserves while hiding. Examples of challenges include recreating an iconic album cover with your team, or on the sillier side hugging a stranger for 30 seconds.
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All photos and videos are uploaded through our web app and can be 'scored' in real-time by the Chicken, so the leaderboard is always up to date and teams are notified when they've received points.

Where does the game start?

The game starts at an agreed location which could be your office if it’s in a suitable area to play the game, or a pub. We can help with booking pubs for the starting point.

What does the chicken do during the game?

At the start, the Chicken is given a five-minute head start and runs off to hide in a pub or the bar in the surrounding game area.

During the hunt, the Chicken receives all challenge submissions and decides if they're worthy of points. They also get to see all teams on a map gradually closing in on their hiding spot. We generally advise against Roaming, where the Chicken changes hiding spot mid-game, but it is possible.

Note: Chickens often tell us that they had so much fun - it's perhaps the best role in the game, it is not just sitting in a pub for 2 hours! We recommend more than one chicken so they don’t get lonely.

Who dresses up as the chicken?

You decide! We recommend having two Chickens hiding together if you have enough players.

If you have an In-Person Host, they can step in as the Chicken if needed.

The Chicken receives all Challenge submissions, scoring them how they see fit and chuckling at teams' efforts. The role comes with a lot of power, that often goes to their head as they become quite "brutal" with scoring - we encourage this behaviour. As they are sitting back, dishing out points and sipping on a piña colada - they can see all teams' locations as they close in on their hiding spot.

We'd recommend trousers or shorts under the costume for mobility and comfort reasons!
FYI, we think it's the best role in the game.

How many chickens can there be?

We recommend a couple of chickens if you have enough players; this avoid any potential cases of Chicken-loneliness. However, only one Chicken joins the game on their phone - as only one device can be location-tracked.

Do you get a chicken costume provided?

If you are playing with an in-person host, we will provide a chicken costume on the day. Otherwise please source a fancy dress costume of your choice, although of course we prefer a chicken suit. We'd recommend trousers or shorts under the costume for mobility and comfort reasons! There are many affordable next-day delivery options online.

What happens if it’s raining or it’s cold?

The game continues! We encourage players to prepare for the weather, but no game has ever been cancelled because of the weather and people enjoy it in all conditions.

How many people are in a team?

It's up to you, the game is very flexible! But for a rule of thumb here's some examples:
4 players - Chicken (1), Chasers (3 teams of 1)
8 players - Chickens (2), Chasers (2 teams of 3)
20 players - Chickens (2), Chasers (2 teams of 4, 2 teams of 5)
50 players - Chickens (2), Chasers (8 teams of 6)
100 players - Chickens (2), Chasers (10 teams of 9, 1 team of 8)

How does the location tracker work?

A blue circle on the map shows the area where the chicken is hiding. Every two minutes, the blue circle on the map shrinks - gradually revealing the hiding spot. It’s similar to Fortnite or other "battle royale" games. Usually the Chicken gets found in the last 30 minutes of a 2 hour game.

Does everyone need to install an app?

No, the game is played on a web app that runs in your browser. Players either scan a QR code or follow a link at the beginning of the game which takes you straight to the game's registration page, it's super easy.

What does an in-person host do?

A member of our team will meet you at the starting venue and explain the game, answering any questions. They provide the chicken(s) with a chicken costume and hide with them at the hiding spot. They can be the primary chicken if necessary, however we've found players prefer hunting someone they know - so we highly recommend dressing up one of your own group.

What happens if a team finds the Chicken quickly?

Once a team finds the Chicken, they can still complete challenges before the game's time limit ends. The record so far is the chicken being found after 58 minutes in a two-hour game, but even this record time is filled with suspicious activity on behalf of the finding team!

Usually, teams find the chicken in the final 15 minutes.

How do I book a game?

You can book your game here. You will be asked to give all the relevant information for your game and once you've paid, you enter the Booking Portal. There, we'll walk you through everything when getting prepared for your game. Alternatively, if you still have questions, contact us and we will get back to you as soon as possible so hopefully you will be ready to book.

What is the prize for the winner?

We do not provide any prizes ourselves but encourage you to come up with your own prize for the winning team. Examples of prizes in other games have included a one-day holiday for the winning team, a custom-made crochet chicken - as well as golden egg cups!