Therapy Chickens

[chillchick]

Hello! I am a special education teacher in New Jersey. I have my undergraduate degree in social work, seven New Jersey Education certifications and my Masters in Special Education. I am also an adjunct professor in the Education/Special Education Department of a university. I have used classroom animals with my students in a private school setting and three public schools. My students have emotional/behavioral issues, as well as learning disabilities. The animals provided a nurturing classroom environment, helped to develop social skills and were integrated into the academic standards. My students with ED/BD also completed a Service Learning Project, sharing their knowledge of the classroom pets with students with multiple disabilities/autism. I was also a winner of the Pets in the Classroom Lesson Plan submission for two years in a row.
We have had Reading Therapy Dogs, frogs/toads, lizards, guinea pigs, hamsters, gerbils, turtles, hermit crabs, fish... We called one program, “Reading with Rodents!”
My students have had terrific, healing, growing experiences with the animals!
I am now looking into developing a program using chickens – and I came across your site.
Any information anyone would be able to provide would be greatly appreciated, especially in the area of "certification" of my chickens.

 

[Kiki]

We are glad you joined our flock.
Jump right in and make yourself at home.

This video will help you learn how to navigate this site:

Official BYC Coop Page Contest - Fall-Winter 2017

 

[chickengirl778]

This site is sure to be a great resource! Where were you thinking of getting the chickens, and where you thinking of keeping them in your own backyard or at the school?

 

[FrankieDoodle]

Welcome to BYC!!!

 

[Lacy Duckwing]

Chickens make great therapy animals. Chickens can teach special needs people about other people. Whenever I need to relate I always relate to chickens. I heard about this special needs girl who had therapy chickens. Also they are now having chickens in nursing homes.

 

[Ursuline Chick]

Welcome from New Orleans, congrats on being such a great teacher who thinks out of the box to ensure her students have wonderful and exciting learning opportunities. Search the forums and continue to ask questions. I think you have a great idea. Hope BYC can help you to bring it to fruition.

 

[chillchick]

Thank you for your encouraging words! I'm really hoping I can make it work!

 

[drumstick diva]

I read that in UK they have lap chickens for folks in the nursing home. The residents love the visit and so do the hens.

 

[Joeschooks]

Hello, It’s great to have you here

 

[Watermelon123]

Hello! I am from Ohio and have a therapy rooster. His name is Shouty and we go around to many camps and events in the area together. He was hatched with a twisted beak and has always been a house chicken. Because of this, he thinks of himself AS a human and loves going to new places.

If you are looking to make certification "official", I would check out the Delta Society (Now called Pet Partners) to do that. I also have a friend of mine that runs a therapy RABBIT organization, F5RS Bunnies in Baskets. She would know more about certifying "unconventional" animals so to say. She has helped me a lot with Shouty.

One thing I would highly recommend is purchasing a "Hen Holster". It is the chicken equivalent to a flight suit. Most organizations require animals to be house broken, but because that is hard to do with birds, such devices are allowed.

Good Luck!

Shouty out on the job: