What Kills the Chickens in Plants vs. Zombies? A Comprehensive Guide
In the wacky world of Plants vs. Zombies, the relentless zombie horde isn’t just composed of shambling undead; it also includes a peculiar subset – Zombie Chickens. These feathered fiends, often released by the troublesome Chicken Wrangler Zombie, can quickly overwhelm your defenses if not dealt with effectively. So, what exactly vanquishes these pesky poultry threats? The answer lies in a combination of quick-acting plants, area-of-effect damage, and strategic planning. Let’s break down the most effective ways to eliminate these clucking calamities.
The most direct and reliable methods for killing Zombie Chickens include:
- Spikeweeds and Spikerocks: These defensive plants are incredibly effective against chickens. Their fast, continuous attacks damage anything that walks over them, and because they can hurt an infinite number of zombies, including chickens, they provide excellent lane control.
- Bonk Choy: This melee-focused plant throws rapid punches that can quickly dispatch a large number of chickens. The speed and consistency of its attacks make it ideal for dealing with swarms.
- Magnifying Grass (with Plant Food): While generally not recommended due to the cost of plant food, using Plant Food on a Magnifying Grass will instantly kill all chickens on the screen. This is considered a waste of Plant Food by most players but can be a last-resort solution if a swarm is imminent.
These plants provide immediate and effective solutions for dealing with individual chickens or small groups. For larger swarms or when you’re facing the Chicken Wrangler Zombie, consider:
- Cherry Bomb: This explosive plant can wipe out entire groups of zombies, including chickens, in a single blast, providing essential crowd control, particularly when chickens are bunched up in a small area.
- Winter Melon: Effective for dealing with multiple Parrot Zombies (mentioned in the article as an alternative to using Cherry Bombs in PVZ 2), the splash damage of the Winter Melon also works well on large chicken waves. Place several of these for effective crowd control.
- Coconut Cannon: The Coconut Cannon can destroy any zombie in one hit, including the Zombie Chicken, due to its high damage output. This is generally used in larger situations for its high cooldown.
Understanding the Chicken Menace
Chickens, unlike larger zombies, are fast and fragile, they come in large groups and can be overwhelming. They require quick responses and plants capable of either fast damage output or area-of-effect damage. Knowing how they are typically deployed is key to building the right defense. The Chicken Wrangler Zombie releases these chickens, often making it a priority to take down the zombie throwing the chickens as well to prevent waves of chickens on your lawn.
Strategic Plant Placement
Effective placement is crucial for success. Placing Spikeweeds and Spikerocks along the path where chickens enter the lawn will instantly kill many of them, while Bonk Choy should be placed strategically to maximize their rapid-fire attacks. Cherry Bombs should be kept ready for large groups and can be used on the Chicken Wrangler Zombie as well.
Frequently Asked Questions About Dealing with Zombie Chickens
Here are some frequently asked questions to help you further understand how to handle Zombie Chickens in Plants vs. Zombies:
What are Zombie Chickens?
Zombie Chickens are a type of enemy that appears in Plants vs. Zombies, typically released by the Chicken Wrangler Zombie. They are smaller, faster, and weaker than regular zombies, often appearing in large groups. Their speed and numbers make them a challenging foe that needs specific counters.
How does a Chicken Wrangler Zombie work?
The Chicken Wrangler Zombie is a unique enemy who periodically releases a group of Zombie Chickens onto the lawn, adding a chaotic element to the game. The Zombie Wrangler has low health but is key to taking down before being overrun by chickens.
Can Garlic divert chickens?
While Garlic is an excellent tool for redirecting standard zombies, it does not affect the movement of the chicken zombies as they cannot “bite” the garlic. Therefore, Garlic is ineffective against them.
Is there a plant that’s not good against chickens?
While most offensive plants can eventually kill the chickens, many slower plants like Peashooters or Repeater plants might be less effective due to the chickens speed and the large swarms that usually come with them. These plants might get overwhelmed quickly by the number of chickens and their fast pace.
Can any plant food instantly kill chickens?
While Magnifying Grass with Plant Food will kill all on-screen chickens, most other plant foods will not have the area of effect damage and will not be as efficient in dealing with chicken waves. It is usually recommended to use plant food on your more reliable plants instead of using it as a panic button.
Are chickens considered the weakest zombie?
While chickens are fragile individually, their speed and ability to swarm in large numbers can make them a significant threat, particularly if left unchecked. They can overwhelm defenses quickly if you’re not prepared and can push you into a defeat if neglected.
Can chickens be stopped with ice?
While Iceberg Lettuce can briefly freeze the chickens, it is not a reliable long-term solution due to their rapid pace and sheer number. It can buy you a few seconds of extra time, however. Consider using Winter Melon plants instead for slowing and crowd control.
Can the Chomper eat a chicken?
The Chomper, known for its ability to instantly defeat zombies, can eat a Chicken, but this is often inefficient. A single chomper cannot keep up with the swarms of chickens, and is better used on other types of zombies.
Do chickens have any particular weakness?
Aside from being fragile and easily damaged, Zombie Chickens do not have unique weaknesses beyond the standard mechanics of the game. Plants that deal fast or splash damage are the most effective counter.
Does the Torchwood help against chickens?
While Torchwood is effective at boosting damage by igniting peas fired from plants, it’s not particularly effective against chickens because the chickens move too quickly. However, if you are using Peashooters or Repeater plants for early defense, they can still deal extra damage through this mechanic, though not as useful on chickens as on other zombies.
Is it a bad idea to rely solely on area-of-effect attacks?
While area-of-effect attacks like Cherry Bombs and Winter Melon plants are effective, relying solely on them can leave gaps in your defense. A balanced approach with both area damage and fast-acting single target attacks like Bonk Choy and Spikerocks is better for long-term defense.
How do you best prepare for the Chicken Wrangler Zombie?
Knowing that the Chicken Wrangler Zombie will appear and cause chicken waves, prepare by placing Spikerocks and Spikeweeds in the lane before he arrives. Additionally, set up plants like Bonk Choy and be ready with a Cherry Bomb for crowd control once the chickens start coming. You can also eliminate the Chicken Wrangler Zombie early, if possible.
Do the cheat codes affect chicken waves?
No, the cheat codes in Plants vs. Zombies do not directly affect the behaviour of zombie chickens, they mostly provide cosmetic changes like sunglasses for zombies or changing the lawn mower’s appearance.
Which plants kill all zombies quickly?
While specific plants may not kill ALL zombies quickly, plants like Cherry Bombs, Tangle Kelp, and Chomper (though less effective on Gargarntuars) can quickly dispatch most regular zombies. The effectiveness of these plants may vary on special enemy types like the Gargantuar and boss characters.
How important is lawn mower usage for zombie chickens?
If not caught early, chicken swarms can quickly overwhelm your defenses and even take out plants. In these situations, your lawn mowers should be kept ready to clear the screen of a lane that is about to be lost to the chicken wave.
Conclusion
Dealing with Zombie Chickens in Plants vs. Zombies requires a combination of quick responses, efficient plants, and strategic planning. By understanding the strengths and weaknesses of different plants, you can confidently handle the chaotic challenge these feathered fiends bring to your lawn. Remember to utilize a mix of fast-acting plants, area-of-effect damage, and strategic plant placement for optimal defense against the clucking horde.