Kai Jik Khao (Pecking Chickens) — a Round Wooden Base, 5 Carved Chickens with Heads Pivoting on Wire, Strings from the Necks Gathered to a Hanging Chick Weight; Swing It and the Chickens Peck in Turn

"Held still, the weight of the chick pulls the strings taut and down, lifting every chicken's head; but when the chick is swung, at moments some strings go slack and the heavier head drops to peck the floor." (Sirindhorn Anthropology Centre, author not named, CC BY 4.0)

Choose a soft wood that is easy to carve. Make a round base, using a CD as the template, mark where the chickens will go, and drill the holes.

Carve the chickens with body and head separate. Drill each body to take a pin that fixes it to the base, and drill the end of the neck to thread the string. Join the head to the body with wire as the pivot; pull the string and the head nods up and down. Trim and finish.

Fit the chickens' pins (usually 5 chickens) into the holes in the base and thread the strings down. Turn the chickens upside down, pull all 5 strings evenly taut, measuring them equal, and knot them together. Make the chick as the weight, drilling holes to fit wings and making eyes, then fix it to the strings below with a pin.

Photos of a real kai jik khao (Sirindhorn Anthropology Centre, author not named, CC BY 4.0)

Keep swinging the chick, and the chicken heads rise and fall in turn as if pecking rice; the speed can be controlled. It can be made as other scenes too, such as a monkey chopping coconuts.

It is a toy that adults make for children to play with; making it together passes on experience. Take care with the knife when carving. Source: Sirindhorn Anthropology Centre, Traditional Objects of Everyday Use database, "ไก่จิกข้าว", author not named (CC BY 4.0 licence). **Limits** The source gives no sizes, no string length and no wire type; there is no product line for general soft wood.