I don't think it is a prank. There are feral chickens all over Key West ~ and they've got a mean streak.
IMO, someone is trying to save them, at the risk of some nasty pecks.
It is better than drowning or being pummeled to death by debris.
Thanks for your input too, bluedivergirl. I'm not from Florida, so I had no idea there were feral chickens all over Key West.
So bless whomever went out of their way to try to save some of them, even if their methods seem weird. It was something I had never seen before, or even thought about, to be honest.
Hope the chickens make it okay...