Chicken Chat
Feather Therapy
Jennifer Shaw finds her chickens as good therapists.
column & photos by Jennifer Shaw
OneMay afternoon of 2022, an important school meeting loomed over me. I was steeling myself to request some major support for my daughter, and I was nervous. I am soft-spoken; asserting myself isn’t easy. I still had an hour before that Zoom call, and all my chores were done. It suddenly occurred to me how best to fill that time. I slipped on my flip flops, grabbed my egg basket and headed outside to visit my chickens.
As I sat down, our little flock of six waddle/ ran over. No doubt they were looking for treats, but despite realizing I was empty-handed, Doris, one of our Plymouths and the most affectionate of our hens, jumped into my lap. She perched there making that soft, deep-throated poultry purr while I stroked her back, marveling at her softness. There in the sun, as a refreshing breeze lifted hair and feathers alike, and Doris turned her bobbing head to look back at me, the tension melted from my body.