Birds Guide

Alektorophobia is the abnormal fear of chickens. The suffix Phobia referring to a strong fear. Those that suffer from Alektorophobia often fear either the eggs of chickens, their feathers, contamination, or being attacked by chickens.

A few reasons for these irrational fears include being pecked, swooned upon, that chickens roost above eye level, or fear of the fact that chickens eat their food off the ground or in manure (invoking a fear of contamination). These fears only occasionally apply to cooked chickens, but rather uncooked or live chickens.

Symptoms of Alektorophobia include breathlessness, dizziness, dry mouth, excessive sweating, nausea, shaking, heart palpitations, inability to speak or think clearly, a fear of dying, becoming mad or losing control, a sensation of detachment from reality or even a full blown anxiety attack.

Alektorophobia is surprisingly common, and is a fear that many have either consciously or subconsciously. Most simply begin to sweat when around chickens and may not even notice, while some may think chickens are aggressive and conspiratorial and coordinate their attacks.

Notable alektorophobes

Werner Herzog