The Chicken Foot in Magic and Witchcraft
The use of animals in the field of magic, and especially in witchcraft and folklore, is not unknown. Roosters and hens hold a special place, probably due to the ease of obtaining these birds—or at least parts of them—especially in rural areas. Because of their benefits (eggs, meat, low maintenance, etc.), the hen immediately had positive associations, even though owning a hen is expensive or even impossible for most city dwellers today. The rooster, for its part, crowed at sunrise, a clear sign of its connection with light and beneficial forces. It is said, for example, that the rooster's crowing is a warning to evil and nocturnal beings that they have only a few minutes to return to their caves. Furthermore, roosters and hens have a special way of walking and making paths: they use their bare feet to "scavenge and clean" the ground, which over time has been associated with purification, as well as divination. Therefore, the rooster's foot is used for the same purposes as the animal: to attack, scavenge, and clean.
Although hens and roosters had positive connotations, these black birds, like most animals of this color, were associated with the world of the dead. This connection is not necessarily negative, as they were considered to have a certain closeness and could aid communication with spirits: for example, even today, feather dusters made from black hen feathers are sold to purify homes, or witches' ladders are made with this type of feathers, both as a protective talisman to place on the door of a house and to perform some kind of spell. However, from the perspective of traditional magic, the best way to attract spirits or infernal deities is to make an offering... which ended up being the poor animal. These types of sacrifices are not necessarily black magic, but rather necromancy or communication with spirits. The purpose of such contact is what should mark the sacrifice as evil or benign. The most common and Westernized view has also contributed to us seeing the bloody offering as a barbaric act, with a great deal of irony given the extensive processing of these birds as everyday food.
The use of the chicken foot in witchcraft has always been more common among African and American communities, and they are the ones who have sparked a new boom in this element. Many insist on the power of the simple image of the rooster's foot (so as not to harm the animal), but many others believe that the foot must be real to retain the powers traditionally assigned to it. In fact, obtaining a chicken or rooster foot today is not difficult, even in the cities, where you can go to butcher shops.
In Asia, rooster feet were considered a symbol of fortune, in addition to being linked to two mythological animals, the phoenix and the dragon. In China, the ridges on their feet resemble stacked coins, so they were thought to attract money, both as an amulet and as a plate. Two rooster feet were a powerful talisman because 2 is the number of balance.
In Europe, magic was also performed with roosters and chickens; however, the use of their feet was less frequent. Note that in the French grimoire of The Black Hen (18th century), this hen is simply used to be sacrificed and invoke a demon at crossroads. Or in Italy, where there are folkloric vestiges of the use of black hen feathers at the head of beds to make someone ill. Currently, black hen powder and black hen egg powder can be found in esoteric shops. But traditionally, the feet didn't serve any special functions, most likely because they were also a common food in many areas.
The ritual preparation of the rooster's or chicken's feet consists of letting them dry in the sun (or with salt), and then ritually leaving them in the moonlight for at least one night. They are also often bathed in the smoke of a candle or in rue or myrrh incense. For use in rituals, they can be left as is; however, when they are to be used as amulets or talismans, they are usually adorned with cords, beads, or feathers from the same animal, and even with other elements if the purpose requires it, something characteristic of the talismans of African-American magic.
They are also often covered in resins or varnishes, and even painted, if a specific objective is sought: the most common colors are black and red, for passive and aggressive protection.
You can pour a little wax of the color of the spell on the crow's feet, add some symbolic object, or some essential oil, to ritualize and turn it into a magical object, let's see some simple examples:
-Magically charge it with basil and bay leaf oil and green candle wax to find a good job or make money, and carry it as an amulet.
-To make someone fall in love, bathe it in rose water or oil, tie a red string and an object or photo of the person to it. It can also be painted red and add love oils or amulets, and hide it somewhere where the person you want to fall in love with will find it, so that it begins to take effect the moment they come into contact.
-For luck in gambling, paint it gold and tie several coins with red thread.
-A white-painted foot, incensed with palo santo or with palo santo tied to it, will purify the place where it is placed.
Following these models, incredible combinations can currently be found, such as green chicken feet with Irish shamrocks, silver ones with Christian crosses, red ones with Japanese lucky cats, and so on. The paws' claws are painted the same color or a different color, if a joint petition is being made, or simply for aesthetic reasons.
For protection, they can be hung on doors or windows, kept as decorations in the home, carried in the car or purse, and people can also cleanse themselves with them, running their claws over the body to clear away bad energies. In these cases, the most common practice is to tie the feathers to the top of the paw and choose colors with magical significance, although the animal's own color or black is preferred. If a rooster's paw is to be given as a gift, it must be purified and ritualized for a few days before being given, mentioning the name of the future owner each time.
- Placing a rooster's paw in a box is a talisman against thieves.
- Hanging it near doors will "scratch" anyone who enters with bad intentions.
- A paw surrounded by herbs and flowers is a spell of protection, good luck, and happiness. It can be given as a gift in a box or jar, or in a brightly colored bag.
- Touching the claws of the chicken foot or rubbing it on the body helps eliminate bad energies and bad luck.
Another option is to burn the chicken foot once it has "scratched" the bad thing we want to burn. Scratching the image of a person or a specific object, such as medicines or tobacco, would have the effect of "eliminating" these things from the person's life.
Other people prefer to have a chicken foot as an additional element on the altar. In Santeria and other African-American religions, chickens and roosters are a recurring offering for most orishas, so having one of these amulets can play that role.
The power of "scratching" is often associated with the idea of "elimination," which is why it is often used for curses. For example, tying a crow's foot to a black candle to purify a bad situation at work can be positive, but if it is done to curse a person, including a photo between the candle and the crow's foot would be considered a curse. Here are other curses with similar symbolism:
-Leaving a crow's foot with symbols or curses written on it, or painted in black, on the floor in front of someone's door, or under their work desk, etc., is considered a minor curse, a threat that causes discomfort and bad luck for a few days.
-Placing a fresh crow's foot with the person's name on it in a jar of salt to dry will gradually "dry" the person out.
Tying a photo or personal object to the crow's foot and placing it in a black box or black cloth along with destruction powders, then throwing it into a stream of water, a fire, or simply leaving it in an abandoned place will bring about the destruction of the person being conjured.
Some people modify the crow's foot to make it look like a horned hand or a comb. They are usually painted black and left next to ritual elements as enhancers of the black magic being performed.
Other uses for chicken or rooster feet include divination (through the lines made by their nails, either by looking at their patterns when they are alive, or using the crow's foot as a pendulum), and to find answers to everyday problems or spiritual doubts, or even to find a lost physical object, by running their nails over a person's body or a place. At the same time, if it's a very important element of the spell, the leg can be used as a wand, to write and visualize spells with. Afterward, it should be placed near the rest of the elements used in the ritual, such as incense, candles, crystals, etc., as an additional element.
It can also be an ingredient in ritual foods and potions. Not only for its nutrients, but also as part of the intrinsic symbolism we've seen throughout the article. Including a chicken leg in a broth can be done ritually—that is, keeping the intentions in mind and mouth, performing the act to include it consciously—to "expel something bad" from the life of the person who will drink it, or, conversely, to "scratch" and remove someone we don't want around. As for "potions," it is usually preserved or crushed. Using it as a stirring utensil is an appropriate use.
On the other hand, we have powders and oils made with the black hen's foot, made from the ashes or marinated with the foot, with the same protective purposes, only more discreetly.
Pietro V. Carracedo Ahumada - pietrocarracedo@gmail.com
Bibliography:
-Alvarado, D. Magic of Marie Laveau. Embracing the Spiritual Legacy of the Voodoo Queen of New Orleans. Red Wheel Weiser, 2020
-De la Croix, S.; Fernandez Trinidades, D. Vodou, Voodoo and Hoodoo. Explore the evolution of Caribbean Magic. Llewellyn Worldwide, 2024
-Starr Casas; Living Conjure, The Practice of Southern Folk Magic. Red Wheel Weiser, 2024
Related articles:
> Santeria (II). Rituals and amulets to ward off evil and attract good.
> Magic and Witchcraft in Traditional Black Africa (notes)
