
Family Guy is an animated sitcom created by Seth MacFarlane, which follows the adventures of the Griffin family. One of the show's long-running gags involves Peter Griffin's violent encounters with Ernie, a giant chicken. Their brawls are renowned for causing serious destruction to the surrounding environment and have taken place in a variety of locations, from cruise ships to zero-gravity space. Given the popularity of these fights, fans have ranked their favourite battles between Peter and Ernie, with one source suggesting there have been at least five notable chicken fights.
Explore related products
What You'll Learn

Ernie the Giant Chicken
Ernie's character was introduced in "Da Boom", where he gave Peter an expired coupon, which started their rivalry. In "Meet the Quagmires", Peter's meddling with his past allows him to accidentally punch Ernie while dancing at Enchantment Under The Sea. In "Big Man on Hippocampus", Ernie makes a brief appearance in a cutaway gag, where he hits Peter with a shovel, a crowbar, a baseball bat, a frying pan, and a golf club, causing him to lose and regain his memory repeatedly. Ernie also appears in "Go, Stewie, Go!", in the crowd scene where Meg is seen making out with her new boyfriend, Anthony.
In "The Chicken or the Meg", Ernie is shown living with Nicole, hinting that they got back together offscreen. Ernie is also shown to be good friends with Lois in "Follow the Money", although Peter and Nicole do not like their association. Ernie makes an appearance in a 1973 "episode" of *Family Guy* in ""Family Guy" Through the Years", where he appears as a pimp. In "Coma Guy", Ernie challenges Peter to a drag race, which results in Peter crashing into a tree and falling into a coma. Ernie's near-death experience is also seen in "Fecal Matters", where he is suffering from "bird flu" and refuses the vaccine. Peter, who is working as a hospital nurse, refuses to give Ernie medical attention due to their rivalry but is convinced to do so by Dr. Hartman.
The fights between Peter and Ernie are a staple of the show, with one source ranking the five best fights between the two characters. Ernie's immortality and his ability to always get back up after a fight with Peter foreshadows their next inevitable confrontation.
Chicken Burrito Bowl: How Much Meat is Needed?
You may want to see also
Explore related products

Peter and Ernie's street fight
Peter Griffin and Ernie the Giant Chicken have had a long history of violence on Family Guy. Their fights are always long and drawn-out, won by Peter, who returns to the scene battered and bruised, unaware that Ernie, seemingly dead, will awaken and get up after he leaves. Each fight also leads to serious destruction of the environment around them and heavy casualties to bystanders.
The origin of their conflict is unclear, as the first encounter between Peter and Ernie was in a woman's dream, not an actual episode. However, their feud is said to have begun with Ernie giving Peter an expired coupon, as revealed in "Da Boom". In "Meet the Quagmires", Peter accidentally punches Ernie while dancing, after meddling with his past. In "Big Man on Hippocampus", Ernie hits Peter with a shovel, a crowbar, a baseball bat, a frying pan, and a golf club, causing him to lose and restore his memory repeatedly. Peter later states that he appreciated "there was an odd number of objects".
In one of their most epic fights, Peter and Ernie have a street fight that leads to multiple car accidents and several vehicles catching fire. They eventually land on a cruise ship, where they crush a wealthy couple. Ernie gets knocked into the bowels of the ship and is then chopped up by a helicopter propeller. Despite this, Ernie survives and the pair even join forces to take down an alligator before resuming their fight.
In another memorable battle, Peter and Ernie go back in time, visit a cloning lab, and fight in zero gravity in space. They crash onto an oil rig, where Peter finishes off Ernie. It is unclear how many fights there have been in total, but each one is more destructive and hilarious than the last.
Chicks' Comfort: Wire vs Wood Flooring
You may want to see also
Explore related products

Peter and Ernie's fight in a cloning lab
Peter Griffin and Ernie the Giant Chicken have had a long history of violent encounters on Family Guy. Their feud begins with Ernie giving Peter an expired coupon, as revealed in "Da Boom". In "Meet the Quagmires", Peter accidentally punches Ernie while dancing at a school event, after meddling with his past.
In one memorable fight, Peter and Ernie end up in a genetic research lab, where they visit a cloning lab and go into space. They also go back in time, eventually crashing onto an oil rig, where Peter seemingly finishes off Ernie. However, Ernie survives, and the fight continues, causing chaos and destruction in their wake. This particular fight is estimated to have caused around 6,945 fatalities and roughly $153 billion in damages, making it the most expensive and destructive fight in the show.
During their cloning lab encounter, Peter and Ernie engage in a brutal battle, utilising various tools and equipment found in the lab. They clone multiple versions of themselves, creating an army of Peters and Ernies, all fighting each other in a frenzied melee. The lab is turned into a war zone, with broken glass and spilled chemicals adding to the chaos.
As the fight escalates, the clones begin to mutate, becoming stronger and more aggressive. The Peters and Ernies fight with increased ferocity, their bodies transforming into grotesque, muscular forms. They crash through walls, their roars echoing through the lab. The battle spills out into the surrounding areas, with the clones wreaking havoc on the town of Quahog.
Despite their efforts, Peter and Ernie are unable to defeat each other, and the fight eventually comes to a stalemate. Exhausted and battered, they call a temporary truce, their clones disappearing as suddenly as they appeared. The cloning lab lies in ruins, a testament to the intensity of their battle. Peter and Ernie part ways, knowing that their feud is not over, and their paths will inevitably cross again.
Panera's Teriyaki Chicken Bowl: What's Inside?
You may want to see also
Explore related products

Peter and Ernie's fight in space
Peter Griffin and Ernie the Giant Chicken have a long history of violence. Ernie often interrupts Peter in the middle of a scene, and the two engage in a drawn-out fight, which Peter always wins. However, Ernie always gets up after Peter leaves, foreshadowing another future fight. Each fight leads to serious destruction of the environment and heavy casualties to bystanders.
One of their most memorable fights begins when Peter accidentally backs into Ernie's car. During their struggles, they land on Stewie's time pad and fight across time, eventually ending up in a genetic research lab and in space. They pummel each other in zero gravity and crash back to Earth on an oil rig, where Peter finishes off Ernie. However, Ernie survives once again, and the fight is played in reverse due to the effects of Stewie's broken time machine. Ernie then fires a flamethrower at Peter, causing a plane crash that destroys a military surplus store. Their fight causes chaos and destruction, including a bus on its way to the airport careening through the streets.
In another instance, Ernie challenges Peter to a drag race, and Peter becomes distracted by a squirrel, crashing into a tree and ending up in a coma. While comatose, Peter hallucinates a jury of giant chickens in a courtroom.
The feud between Peter and Ernie is often referenced in the show, including in "Life of Brian," where a headless chicken mentions Peter's bad reputation in the chicken community. In "PeTerminator," Peter blows Ernie's head to bits with a shotgun, but Ernie survives yet again, with his eye opening after the robot leaves.
The fights between Peter and Ernie are a beloved aspect of "Family Guy," occurring once every season and providing comedic relief and over-the-top action sequences.
Authentic General Tso Chicken: What to Look For
You may want to see also
Explore related products

Peter and Ernie's fight on an oil rig
Peter Griffin and Ernie the Giant Chicken have a long history of violence. Ernie is the arch-rival of Peter and every time they meet, they engage in lengthy fight scenes that cause chaos and destruction.
One such fight occurs in the episode "Internal Affairs", where Peter accidentally backs into Ernie's car. This leads to an epic battle that takes them across time and space. They land on Stewie's time pad and find themselves in a genetic research lab and then in outer space, where they destroy a space shuttle. Crashing back to Earth, Peter and Ernie continue their fight on an oil rig, destroying it in the process. Ernie is seemingly roasted by the rocket engines, but he survives once again, revealing his immortality.
The feud between Peter and Ernie is a running gag in the show, with their fights often interrupting the flow of an episode. Their battles are known for their excessive violence and the destruction they cause. Despite Peter always seeming to kill Ernie, the giant chicken never truly dies and always returns for another round.
In one instance, Peter believes Ernie is dying and admits that he enjoys their fights. He also doesn't want to be financially responsible for the damage they cause. When Ernie recovers, Peter is relieved, confirming that "all is right in the world". This peace is short-lived, however, as Ernie mistakes the Peter Terminator for the real Peter and attacks him, only to be shot in the head.
The fights between Peter and Ernie are a beloved aspect of Family Guy, with fans ranking their favourite battles and eagerly anticipating new ones. The rivalry between the two characters adds a layer of comedy and action to the show, showcasing the creative ways they find to come to blows.
Spicy Chinese Chicken: What Veggies to Use?
You may want to see also
Frequently asked questions
There are three seasons' worth of chicken fights in Family Guy, though it is unclear exactly how many fights that entails.
Peter Griffin has a long history of violence with Ernie, the giant chicken.
The fights are long and drawn out and usually won by Peter, who returns to the scene battered and bruised. The fights also lead to serious destruction of the environment around them.










































