Clucker

Clucker (コケッコー) is a badnik that takes the form of a robotic chicken sitting in a turret and is created by Doctor Robotnik. Clucker badniks have made first appearance in Sonic the Hedgehog 2, as trying to defend Robotnik's air fortress by shooting different types of projectiles.

Sonic the Hedgehog 2
Making the first appearance in Sonic the Hedgehog 2, Clucker badniks are the only enemies, that are guarding Robotnik's Wing Fortress Zone. These badniks are not first seen on their turrets until the player is moving more closely on them. When Clucker badniks first pop out from their turret, they start a second later shooting egg-shaped bullets toward the player at a time. These badniks shoot rotating eggs to the linear way.

Usually there can be found one turret with Clucker badnik, while sometimes there can also be two turrets with badniks on each of them. The player can easily destroy Clucker badniks by performing Spin Jump on them.

Sonic Spinball
Two Clucker badniks are featured in 16-bit version of Sonic the Hedgehog Spinball, as they are seen in front of lonely Crawl at pinball table of fourth bonus stage "Clucker's Defense". In this bonus stage, the player has to destroy Crawl from table by using three balls at the same time. In the game, turret cannons are replaced now with small bumpers, that bounces the pinballs easily.

While being impossible to hit Clucker badniks in front, the player has to use pinballs to destroy badniks by hitting them from the side directions, as the one hit gives 1,000 points. The player also has to defeat Crawl from lateral sides multiple times until it lost its shield and with the last hit, it gets destroyed.

Sonic Pocket Adventure
Clucker badniks made another appearance in Sonic the Hedgehog Pocket Adventure, where these badniks are again the only enemies seen this time at Aerobase Zone. While having same pattern and being featured on one or two turrets on the row, these badniks pop out from turrets more faster now after the player is closer and right after starts shooting energy projectiles toward the player.

Sonic the Hedgehog 4: Episode II
Clucker badniks made reappearance in Sonic the Hedgehog 4: Episode II, where these badniks are featured at second and third acts of Sky Fortress Zone. While having upgrated designed models, their pattern is mostly same and linear from previous games. However these badniks are now featured more frequently in the zone, while now shooting grey bullets from the cannon. Clucker badniks are also seen shooting bullets from floating platforms or being featured on three or four turrets on the row at stair sections.

Sonic 4 Website info

 * A Chicken type Badnik last seen defending "WING FORTRESS ZONE" in "Sonic the Hedgehog 2". They will stand in Sonic and his friends' way, deployed everywhere within the incredibly enormous "Sky Fortress" as fixed batteries.

Sonic Lost World
Clucker badniks reappear in the Wii U version of the upcoming video game, Sonic Lost World. They appear on the Silent Forest stage. Clucker badniks have a cartoon-like style, and the badniks appear briefly in the "Colors Trailer". The Clucker badniks appear to be grinding on the rails along with Sonic to try to shoot at Sonic while the hedgehog is grinding behind the badniks. Only a Homing Attack can defeat the badniks.

Physical Appearance
Clucker being as a badnik based on the chicken, has white body, that even through the full body has never be seen, is hidden at the turret. Clucker has red wattle / tail feathers, eyes with strict stare, small yellow beak, two antennas connected with grey buttons and two small wings, that it is using to control the turret cannon. The small turret, that is part Robotnik's flying fortress, has a small, grey cannon.

Clucker's appearance in Sonic the Hedgehog 4 is slightly detailed and has several color scheme changes. Otherwise the appearance has been mostly the same.

Abilities
Clucker hides within a turret waiting for intruders. When Sonic or Tails come into its vicinity, it pops up from its turret and shoots cannonballs at them. Their cannons can only shoot forwards, but they can still take the player by surprise. After popping out turrets, these badniks don't change their firing direction. The projectiles are seen to have rotating egg-shaped bullets, energy projectiles or grey bullets.

Sonic the Comic
Only single Clucker has made appearance in Fleetway's Sonic the Comic issue 6' story "Attack on the Death Egg", which takes place after comic's version of Sonic the Hedgehog 2's storyline. Sonic and Tails arrive to the Wing Fortress Zone, it is seen still having Clucker badniks guarding the place. Sonic manages to dodge one, which he states to being miss firing him again.

Trivia

 * Clucker's in-game sprite in Sonic the Hedgehog 2 differs comparing to original artwork illustration. The antenna button in is miscolored yellow, while tail feathers are miscolored white rather than red. These mistakes are repeated later in Sonic Pocket Adventure and Sonic the Hedgehog 4.
 * In every appearance, where Clucker has been always featured different type of projectile (or even nothing), that these badniks have shoot from their turret cannons.
 * There have been characters in the other media, that may have based on the Clucker. One of them is Robotnik's roboticized pet Cluck from Sonic the Hedgehog animated series and Archie Comics, and another one being Scratch from Adventures of Sonic the Hedgehog.