I wanted to introduce you to my very special Serama chicken.
This sweet girl lost both of her feet due to frostbite during a very frigid winter in Upstate NY. Never is my 8+ years of owning chickens have I ever experienced this. Because her stub legs healed very well and she was still very happy (away from the rest of the flock), my husband and I decided not to cull her. After many trials of prosthetic feet that ended up being too big or too difficult for her to use, I ended up letting her be as she has learned to walk well without any feet.
Instead of keeping her as a house chicken, I decided to try her out as a class pet for my special education students. Oh what a success it has been! My students named her “Squeak.” I have several students with emotional and behavioral needs and I hoped that she would bring them comfort. Squeak has been a HUGE support and offers them comfort as well as helps de-escalate heightened stress and conflicts. The kids took to her immediately. They enjoy holding her, playing with her and even reading to her!
The news of my special Serama spread like wildfire throughout the school. So many teachers and students have seeked her out, resulting in a tremendously positive effect on so many students! She visits different classrooms when teachers invite her to meet their students (grades 3 through 6) Throughout the day, she is available to those who need a little “Squeak Time.” She has become an asset to so many students (and adults). Because of this, and the support from the administration, she is now certified as a therapy chicken!!!
To celebrate her recent certification, my students wanted to buy her a beautiful tutu/dress. This photo was taken the first day she tried it on. My students were SO excited and now call her “Princess Squeak!”
. The students like to play dress up once a day to enjoy watching our beautiful lady strut her stuff as she soaks up all the attention. She enjoys walking on the rug, playing in her sandbox, soaking up the sun outside in the school courtyard and resting/ eating/ drinking in her comfy cage in the classroom. I bring her home on weekends where she stays in a separate room in my horse barn. She plays outdoors during the day in a separated play area where the rest of my flock can see her, but unable to touch her while free-ranging.
I absolutely hated the idea of her being alone…..I tried pairing her up with other seramas from my flock, but the other girls didn’t take well to her. They wanted to be with the flock! Poor Squeak was always getting picked on from my standard breed chickens. She is such a sweet gal and always tries to buddy up with them, but it just wasn’t working.
This past week, I decided to get her some baby chicks to befriend. Initially, I was very nervous about how she would treat them, but lo and behold, she accepted them and interacts with them appropriately. While the babies huddle under the heated brooder plate, Squeak will lay next to the heater and wait for one or all of them to come out and play. When the babies get bigger and integrate with the rest of my flock, I will select one lucky Serama pullet to be Squeak’s roommate/best friend.
I am so happy that we decided to save this sweet girl! She has brought so much happiness and support to so many!
This sweet girl lost both of her feet due to frostbite during a very frigid winter in Upstate NY. Never is my 8+ years of owning chickens have I ever experienced this. Because her stub legs healed very well and she was still very happy (away from the rest of the flock), my husband and I decided not to cull her. After many trials of prosthetic feet that ended up being too big or too difficult for her to use, I ended up letting her be as she has learned to walk well without any feet.
Instead of keeping her as a house chicken, I decided to try her out as a class pet for my special education students. Oh what a success it has been! My students named her “Squeak.” I have several students with emotional and behavioral needs and I hoped that she would bring them comfort. Squeak has been a HUGE support and offers them comfort as well as helps de-escalate heightened stress and conflicts. The kids took to her immediately. They enjoy holding her, playing with her and even reading to her!
The news of my special Serama spread like wildfire throughout the school. So many teachers and students have seeked her out, resulting in a tremendously positive effect on so many students! She visits different classrooms when teachers invite her to meet their students (grades 3 through 6) Throughout the day, she is available to those who need a little “Squeak Time.” She has become an asset to so many students (and adults). Because of this, and the support from the administration, she is now certified as a therapy chicken!!!
To celebrate her recent certification, my students wanted to buy her a beautiful tutu/dress. This photo was taken the first day she tried it on. My students were SO excited and now call her “Princess Squeak!”
. The students like to play dress up once a day to enjoy watching our beautiful lady strut her stuff as she soaks up all the attention. She enjoys walking on the rug, playing in her sandbox, soaking up the sun outside in the school courtyard and resting/ eating/ drinking in her comfy cage in the classroom. I bring her home on weekends where she stays in a separate room in my horse barn. She plays outdoors during the day in a separated play area where the rest of my flock can see her, but unable to touch her while free-ranging.I absolutely hated the idea of her being alone…..I tried pairing her up with other seramas from my flock, but the other girls didn’t take well to her. They wanted to be with the flock! Poor Squeak was always getting picked on from my standard breed chickens. She is such a sweet gal and always tries to buddy up with them, but it just wasn’t working.
This past week, I decided to get her some baby chicks to befriend. Initially, I was very nervous about how she would treat them, but lo and behold, she accepted them and interacts with them appropriately. While the babies huddle under the heated brooder plate, Squeak will lay next to the heater and wait for one or all of them to come out and play. When the babies get bigger and integrate with the rest of my flock, I will select one lucky Serama pullet to be Squeak’s roommate/best friend.
I am so happy that we decided to save this sweet girl! She has brought so much happiness and support to so many!
