I recently read your article about hypnotizing chickens (from back in '82). Like you said, it is true, and who could ever doubt you?!? Another method is to tuck their little head underneath their wing (tame chickens will let you do almost anything) and swing them back and forth sideways a few times. Then you can lay them down, head still under wing, and they will stay that way for the amount of time you specified: 15 seconds to 30 minutes. We had lots of pet chickens, and the more “domesticated” ones like the Rhode Island Red and the White Leghorn tend to me more susceptible to hypnosis. We also had jungle fowl who were a bit more wiley and less likely to let you touch them let alone stuff their head under their wing.
Humbly,
Melissa