ARTICLE BY: THE RED TIE GUY
As we get into the backswing of the 2023 haunt season. Our tour brought us to Heflin, Alabama to visit the infamous Haunted Chicken House. For 20 years this haunt has been making it’s mark in the Alabama haunt scene. SF has been visiting and promoting this haunt since 2016 and nothing has changed on our end. The Chicken House offers a huge dose of old fashion haunting. Complemented with the most unique, white knuckle experience called “The Crazy Train”... We’ll get to that in a bit.
Other than that high octane “scurry” bus ride, the Chicken House offers a traditional Hayride with some classic “Chicken House” twists and their main attraction, “the haunted chicken house”.
Let’s begin with the arrival into the midway as you will be greeted by Da Bobo himself along with his 4 other split personalities. The 2 things they all have in common is that thick Heflin accent and they all control the midway microphone. NO ONE is safe from him calling you out in front of the massive crowd. Not even the SF actors who were in attendance. You will also find other Chicken House characters roaming around or in Chicken Dan’s case. Him scooting around on his motorized “Chickvelle” which runs on chicken blood and patron tears.
The Chicken House midway is nothing fancy, it’s well lit and plenty of space. They offer merchandise, ample food and drink choices to fill your needs while you wait in line or just hanging around taking in the atmosphere. But just because the midway doesn’t offer things like you’d see at a fair or music festival. You’re guaranteed to never have a dull moment while hanging out front. I will brag on their drink choice though, they are the ONLY haunt i’ve ever been to that sold Yoohoos. That’s a huge win in my book, in fact it was a special moment for I bought one just so our Scottish friend could try it for the first time. Her response, “That is definitely an American creation”....
Once you purchase your tickets, you then begin your experience on 1 of 3 attractions. My advice, do them in this order…. Hayride, Chicken House and then headline the night on the Crazy Train. Nothing like finishing the evening on a bus ride from hell and then trying to drive home. You’ll be fine……
But let’s start with the Hayride, as mentioned it’s a traditional hayride with a few original twists thrown in. Look, it’s Chicken Dan and we all know some of the weird things he comes up with. It’s the things he doesn’t put into action that worries us…
Here is where you’ll get your Halloween fix, if you’re a fan, as you encounter the HCH Michael Myers multiple times throughout. You begin with Dr. Loomis himself as we all embark on a mission to finally kill the shape for good. “Evil Dies Tonight!!!”
Along with Michael popping up in places that you’d least expect, the hayride offers some fun, interactive and at times high energy scenes that’s definitely sure to keep you laughing or clinging to your husband throughout. Okay, in some cases that we actually witnessed, husbands clinging to their wives. Yes, it happened.
The hayride experience was a fun one and it’s in my opinion good for the whole family. Definitely want to give a nod to 2 scenes, the clown barn is ALWAYS a fun time and it’s such a cool scene. The other is awkward but kinda fits the whole chicken house vibe is the random cha cha slide with the rhino, monkey and chicken. I still don’t know how to wrap my head around it, but it was definitely fun to watch.
After your hayride, head straight to the Chicken House and get your fix on some good ol fashion haunting. This experience leads you in twists and turns, dark and strobe heavy rooms with some old school props and f/x. The classic is the fire truck as it reminds me of the old Christine car that the Old Jaycees haunt had when I went through with my dad as a kid. Each scene the actors are full of energy bouncing off the walls while utilizing every square inch of the rooms. Especially the chainsaw guy, that actor never stopped slinging that chainsaw around and I loved every second of it. Throughout the entire experience the actors were on point and taking every opportunity to get a scare in. That's what I loved most about this experience was the actors. You could tell they were amped and pumped up that we were walking through and their performances showed that. In which, I want to give a huge shout out to Big Sam. He and I talk quite often about the haunt and the actors, we spit ideas off each other and he comes up with some amazing ideas and plans for these actors. His haunt experience goes pretty deep and with his training, this is the best I’ve ever seen the chicken house when it comes to the actors. That is all Sam, his crew and it’s his leadership at the haunted chicken house that makes it complete! He is a humble fella and he’ll always do the right thing and praise others, but it’s his leadership that helps get it done.
Btw, he is a Scurryface Rep and now you understand why.
Now onto the headliner…… THE CRAZY TRAIN!
The short bus from hell!! Have you ever had the urge to take a short bus and drive it like you stole it through some random woods at night? No? Me either, but you can pay to ride on a short bus as some maniac drives it through the woods like he stole it.
We first experienced this attraction when it was first introduced and let me tell you, it was scary as hell then! NOTHING HAS CHANGED! Except it’s a little safer now, they added seatbelts.
We got to go on a special VIP adventure with the SF crew and Kim from WDNG 95.1 The Mountain. We thought we were going to get the normal ride like everyone else, but nooooooo. Chicken House Steve Austin had to go all special on us and take us on not 1, not 2 but 3 laps around the woods. At least it felt like 3. I swear I thought we hugged the same tree about 3 times. The entire experience is chaotic and terrifying from the moment he steps on the gas until he slams on the breaks. The whole experience is nothing but a dust filled bus, consistent screaming, a ton of obscenities from the front seat to the back seat and an occasional “woohoo” heard from the driver's seat. He does have one rule, “no shitting on the bus while it’s in motion”..... I imagine that rule will be broken a few times this season.
In closing:
The Haunted Chicken House is still rocking the Alabama haunt scene after 20 years and this is the best I’ve ever seen them.
3 fun attractions that are sure to fill your entire evening with fun, screams and probably some dirty undies.
SF is proud to call this place a “family haunt” and we’ve enjoyed the 7 year ride of helping promote them to Alabama and Southeastern haunt goers!
Catch them this season before it all ends! You won’t be disappointed!
