The Jargon File (version 4.4.7, 29 Dec 2003):

wave a dead chicken
 v.

    To perform a ritual in the direction of crashed software or hardware that
    one believes to be futile but is nevertheless necessary so that others are
    satisfied that an appropriate degree of effort has been expended. ?I'll
    wave a dead chicken over the source code, but I really think we've run into
    an OS bug.? Compare voodoo programming, rain dance; see also casting
    the runes.


The Free On-line Dictionary of Computing (30 December 2018):

wave a dead chicken

    To perform a ritual in the direction of crashed
   software or hardware that one believes to be futile but is
   nevertheless necessary so that others are satisfied that an
   appropriate degree of effort has been expended.  "I'll wave a
   dead chicken over the source code, but I really think we've
   run into an OS bug".

   Compare voodoo programming, rain dance.

   [Jargon File]

   (1996-09-08)