Where did the term "chicken walker" come from?

Question

Before I knew the actual names for Scout Walkers or AT-STs, I simply knew them as "chicken walkers", as have many other Star Wars fans. However, I don't know where that term came from, I don't think the films or any official Star Wars media ever called it that, but I could be wrong. How did fans come to refer to AT-STs as "chicken walkers"? Where did that term come from?

@Richard To be honest, I've never really seen the resemblance. Chickens don't have legs that reach their heads and their legs are under them, as opposed to connected to the sides like the AT-ST's. — Rogue Jedi, Apr 25 '16 at 18:18
Wookieepedia says the term first appeared in-universe in the recent Star Wars Battlefront, but the term is definitely older than that. — Null, Apr 25 '16 at 18:19
@RogueJedi It is, I'm trying to find a better source for the origin of the term and how it relates to the AT-ST, but all I see is how GL thought the design was 'neat' and included it in ESB :/ — CBredlow, Apr 25 '16 at 18:20
@RogueJedi For all we know, Star Wars chickens might look exactly like AT-STs. — DaaaahWhoosh, Apr 25 '16 at 18:28
@CBredlow "all I see is how GL thought the design was 'neat' and included it in ESB" see my new question http://scifi.stackexchange.com/questions/126103/why-is-there-a-glimpse-of-an-at-st-in-the-empire-strikes-back — RedCaio, Apr 25 '16 at 18:34
@Rogue Jedi - That's a beautiful and funny video. But get real. Cows! Janus Bahs Jacquet - Cows! — ThruGog, Apr 25 '16 at 18:39
Ironically I always called them AT-STs and didn't know people actually called them "chicken walkers". — Pharap, Apr 26 '16 at 04:08

score 14 · Answer 1 · answered Apr 25 '16 at 18:39

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Out of universe: The phrase 'chicken walkers' refer to the type of articulation in the legs. This term applies to all mechs with this type of articulation. Other mechs with this type of articulation: ED-209, AT-PT(features in the games), and the AT-RT (featured in RotS, and Clone Wars) This type of motion is often faster than a more 'man-type' motion, but supposedly can't handle rugged terrain as well. (Which I don't know if I agree with that idea, as we see it used almost exclusively in rugged terrain, but we do see an AT-ST slip on logs during the battle of endor)

In universe: There really is no reference to calling these things in the novels or movies.

Source: Wikipedia-Chicken Walker

answered Apr 25 '16 at 18:39

CBredlow

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To add upon this answer, in Star Wars: Rogue Squadron for the N64 there is a cheat code called 'CHICKEN' that lets you play a secret level as an AT-ST – TaylorAllred Apr 25 '16 at 22:14
@TaylorAllred wasn't that the level that took place on the surface of the death star? – CBredlow Apr 25 '16 at 22:16
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No, it took place on Tatooine, it was a very small circular map, all you could do was really walk around and shoot houses I'm pretty sure. I think it was like a left over tech demo that they decided to make a secret level, or at least, that's what it felt like. – TaylorAllred Apr 25 '16 at 22:27

Anthony McCloskey · Answer 2 · 2016-04-25T19:28:20.040

Its legs bend in the same way a chicken's legs bend, and so when it walks, it looks like a chicken. It is worth noting that the AT-ST is not the only "chicken-walker", it is a more general term used across a variety of sci-fi stories to describe many different types of mech / robots with similar legs. The ED-209 in Robocop was also called a chicken walker, as was the X-1 Alpha in Future cop and many others. It is not a term specific to Star Wars.

score -2 · Answer 3 · edited Nov 20 '17 at 03:18

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Star Wars Battlefront II (old) had rebels that would call out "Chicken Walker!"

edited Nov 20 '17 at 03:18

Möoz

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answered Nov 20 '17 at 03:08

Daniel

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Do you have a source for this? – Stevoisiak Nov 20 '17 at 14:08

Where did the term "chicken walker" come from?

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