Chicken Therapy as Business Venture

[AnchoredHomestead]

Has anyone on here done this? Any ideas of where and how to start? We all know the benefit of befriending chickens, it is also well documented that they can help with depression, anxiety, PTSD and those with autism. Would love to start this…just not sure how.

 

[fat brown hen]

Requirements vary by state, but to begin with, you will need an advanced degree and some number of supervised clinical hours. There are also testing requirements, and then you apply for a state license. You will also need a business license, plus malpractice and liability insurance. That's if you want to do animal therapy as a business venture.

A less formal approach is to register as a nonprofit. You can make it a chicken "rescue" organization. Invite participants to experience the therapeutic power of petting chickens, scooping poop, etc. Accept donations and write off your chicken expenses as tax deductions.

You will probably end up financially ahead with the second approach.

 

[Painted Calls]

How would you handle biosecurity?

 

[fat brown hen]

How would you handle biosecurity?

You wouldn't. Patients who go to a therapist for "chicken therapy" are unlikely to have other exposure to poultry.

 

[Painted Calls]

You wouldn't. Patients who go to a therapist for "chicken therapy" are unlikely to have other exposure to poultry.

So they wouldn't go into farm stores or have friends or family that have poultry? Or perhaps other therapy farm settings that may just happen to have poultry? I love the idea, but unfortunately it's just not realistic unless there is some sort of biosecurity plan put in place. Which may be as easy as signing a form stating the risks to your birds and any other outside birds. This of course is still only as good as someone's word, but it may be helpful in some way. I'd just never risk it with how easily diseases are spread in the poultry world.

 

[fat brown hen]

So they wouldn't go into farm stores or have friends or family that have poultry? I love the idea, but unfortunately it's just not realistic unless there is some sort of biosecurity plan put in place. Which may be as easy as signing a form stating the risks to your birds and any other outside birds. This of course is still only as good as someone's word, but it may be helpful in some way. I'd just never risk it with how easily diseases are spread in the poultry world.

Why would they pay someone for "chicken therapy" if they have friends or family with poultry? There are local farms that run "petting zoos" with strangers touching their birds every day. The risk is not zero, but there are much bigger things to worry about when starting a clinical practice that will be treating people for mental health.

 

[Painted Calls]

Why would they pay someone for "chicken therapy" if they have friends or family with poultry? There are local farms that run "petting zoos" with strangers touching their birds every day. The risk is not zero, but there are much bigger things to worry about when starting a clinical practice that will be treating people for mental health.

I must have missed where they said it would be a clinical practice business. I assumed they'd offer it like cat cafés where you can chill with the cats. Or like veteran's horse therapy programs where for free of charge, you go spend time decompressing with horses.

It is my opinion that it would be fun and lots of people would enjoy it. However, it's also my opinion that it would be a biosecurity risk not worth taking. I have horses. I still enjoy volunteering at a stable that does therapeutic riding for children with disabilities. Just because someone goes to "chicken" therapy doesn't mean they aren't around other birds.

 

[nuthatched]

You wouldn't. Patients who go to a therapist for "chicken therapy" are unlikely to have other exposure to poultry.

Not just poultry, wild birds like ducks at the park or backyard.

 

[Painted Calls]

Not just poultry, wild birds like ducks at the park or backyard.

Oh good point! Now with AI being an issue, that's even more scary.

 

[fat brown hen]

I must have missed where they said it would be a clinical practice business. I assumed they'd offer it like cat cafés where you can chill with the cats. Or like veteran's horse therapy programs where for free of charge, you go spend time decompressing with horses.

It is my opinion that it would be fun and lots of people would enjoy it. However, it's also my opinion that it would be a biosecurity risk not worth taking. I have horses. I still enjoy volunteering at a stable that does therapeutic riding for children with disabilities. Just because someone goes to "chicken" therapy doesn't mean they aren't around other birds.

The horse programs you describe are nonprofits. That's different from equine therapy run by a mental health professional. If the OP wants to do this as a business venture, then they need to be licensed to run a clinical practice. And if it's a business venture, then the prices they charge for therapy should be high enough to offset the risks.