Cute little buggers. Very gentle and docile hens to let you handle the chicks (and them) that way. One of our Australorps and one of the Barred Rocks just started laying this week. The two Rhode Island Red roosters are ENORMOUS compared to all the girls. Still hunting a home for at least one of them, preferrably both. They're big boys at 16 weeks and are only gonna get bigger. One of them can peck at my belt loops without jumping.
Another way is to drive a piece of broom handle in the ground and scrape it with a knife to make it squeak. The old magnetos from telephones were once used for doing what you say with fish, though. VERY ILLEGAL though, unless it's a private pond.
