OSRS Ernest the Chicken Levers: A Complete Guide to Solving the Puzzle

Old School RuneScape (OSRS) is packed with nostalgic quests, and Ernest the Chicken stands out as one of the earliest and most memorable for free-to-play players. While the quest itself is relatively straightforward, the lever puzzle in Draynor Manor’s basement often leaves players scratching their heads. This blog post dives deep into the OSRS Ernest the Chicken levers, offering a step-by-step guide, tips, and insights to help you conquer this quirky challenge. Whether you’re a new adventurer or a seasoned player revisiting the classics, this guide will ensure you breeze through the puzzle and turn Ernest back into a human in no time.

The Ernest the Chicken quest is a novice-level adventure that takes place in and around Draynor Manor, a spooky location just north of Draynor Village. Released as one of the first quests in RuneScape’s history, it’s a rite of passage for many players. The story begins with Veronica, who’s worried about her fiancé, Ernest, who entered the manor to ask for directions and hasn’t returned. Your task? Find Ernest, assist the eccentric Professor Oddenstein, and navigate a series of tasks—including the infamous lever puzzle—to complete the quest.

Quest Requirements and Rewards

Before diving into the levers, let’s cover the basics:

Requirements: None, though the ability to fend off a level 22 skeleton is helpful.
Items Needed: A spade, fish food, and poison (all obtainable during the quest).
Rewards: 4 Quest Points, 300 GP, and a sense of accomplishment.

The quest is short, but the lever puzzle in the basement is the trickiest part, making it the focus of this guide.

Understanding the Lever Puzzle in Ernest the Chicken

The lever puzzle is located in Draynor Manor’s basement and is the key to retrieving the oil can—one of three items Professor Oddenstein needs to fix his “pouletmorph” machine and turn Ernest back from a chicken into a human. The puzzle consists of six levers (labeled A through F) and nine doors, with the goal of reaching the room containing the oil can. Each lever toggles specific doors open or closed, and the challenge lies in figuring out the correct sequence to navigate the maze-like layout.

Why the Lever Puzzle Feels Tricky

For many players, the lever puzzle feels daunting because:

Trial and Error: Without a guide, it’s a game of guesswork, flipping levers and testing doors.
No Clear Hints: The game doesn’t provide explicit clues, leaving you to experiment.
Reset Risk: Leaving the basement resets all levers to the “down” position, forcing a restart.

But don’t worry—this guide breaks it down into a foolproof sequence.

Step-by-Step Guide to Solving the OSRS Ernest the Chicken Levers

Here’s the exact sequence to navigate the lever puzzle and grab the oil can. All levers start in the “down” position when you enter the basement via the secret room (accessed by searching the candle sconce in the western room on the ground floor).

Step 1: Enter the Basement and Pull Initial Levers

Enter the basement by climbing down the ladder in the secret room.
Pull Lever A (up).
Pull Lever B (up).
Go through Door 1 (northeast).

Step 2: Adjust Lever D and Move South

Pull Lever D (up).
Return through Door 1 to the main room.
Pull Lever A (down).
Pull Lever B (down).
Go through Door 3, then Door 4, and Door 5 to reach the northwest room.

Step 3: Activate Levers E and F

Pull Lever E (up).
Pull Lever F (up).
Go through Door 6 and Door 7 to the northeast room.

Step 4: Final Adjustments and Reaching the Oil Can

Pull Lever C (up).
Go back through Door 7 and Door 6.
Pull Lever E (down).
Go through Door 6, Door 8, and Door 9 to enter the oil can room.
Pick up the oil can.

Step 5: Exit the Basement

Once you have the oil can, pull the lever on the eastern wall to exit the secret room, then head back upstairs to Professor Oddenstein.

Step	Lever Action	Door to Pass
1	Pull A and B up	Door 1
2	Pull D up, A and B down	Doors 3, 4, 5
3	Pull E and F up	Doors 6, 7
4	Pull C up, E down	Doors 6, 8, 9

Tips and Tricks for Mastering the Lever Puzzle

While the sequence above is the most efficient path, here are some additional pointers to make your experience smoother:

Avoid Common Mistakes

Don’t Leave Early: Exiting the basement (e.g., via Home Teleport) resets the levers, so commit to finishing in one go.
Track Your Progress: Mentally note which levers you’ve flipped to avoid confusion.
Ignore the Skeleton: The level 22 skeleton in the rubber tube room isn’t part of the puzzle—grab the tube and run if needed.

Speedrunning the Puzzle

For those aiming to complete the quest quickly (e.g., for a speedrun), consider these optimizations:

Pre-Click Doors: Click the next door as you pull a lever to save ticks.
Drop Extra Weight: Drop items like the spade after digging the compost heap to conserve run energy.
Spam Click Stairs: When climbing back to Oddenstein, spam-click the ladder to minimize delays.

Top speedrunners have completed Ernest the Chicken in under 4 minutes, with the lever section taking less than a minute when executed perfectly.

Why the Ernest the Chicken Levers Matter in OSRS

The lever puzzle isn’t just a random obstacle—it’s a piece of RuneScape history. Back in the early days, players had to solve it through trial and error, often spending hours mapping out lever effects. Today, it’s a nostalgic challenge that tests patience and problem-solving, even with guides widely available.

A Throwback to Classic RuneScape

Unlike modern quests with detailed hints or quest markers, Ernest the Chicken reflects OSRS’s roots: simple mechanics paired with quirky storytelling. The lever puzzle embodies this old-school charm, making it a beloved (and sometimes frustrating) part of the game.

Community Reactions and Legacy

The OSRS community has mixed feelings about the levers:

Reddit Threads: Posts on r/2007scape often joke about the puzzle’s complexity, with players admitting to using guides.
Nostalgia Factor: Veterans cherish it as a rite of passage, while newbies see it as a quirky hurdle.

Either way, it’s a talking point that keeps the quest relevant decades after its release.

With this guide, you’re now equipped to tackle the OSRS Ernest the Chicken levers with confidence. Grab that oil can, save Ernest, and enjoy your 4 Quest Points. Have tips of your own? Drop them in the comments below—happy adventuring!