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Podcast

Episode 67: Ben Hartman


Indiana farmer and The Lean Micro Farm author Ben Hartman talks about the logistics of downsizing.

Hear about the CSA Ben started while still in high school and how this set him up for a career in farming. Ben shares the statistics that, by the end of this century, we will lose half of the farms that we have now, and the farms that are left will be twice as large. Statistics like this make him believe even more strongly that farmers need to increase their money-making potential.

“We were really bad farmers,” Ben says about his and his wife, Rachel Hershberger’s, Clay Bottom Farm. Listen to his story of farming 5 acres on a growth trajectory, then changing course to start downsizing instead—and now farming just 1/3 acre and making the same amount of money. You’ll hear Ben’s step-by-step entry into the principles of the lean manufacturing system, including examining and getting rid of the seven forms of waste, designing a farm business that achieves specific goals, using the 80/20 principle to identify both customers and products, and more. Also learn a couple of lean concepts for managing workforce and the 5 S organizing system. (This will change how you use and store your farming tools!)

Also get to know the work Ben has done with Winrock International’s USAID farmer-first lean-farming project in Nigeria and his teaching and training work for farmers everywhere.

Categories
Farm & Garden Video

Video: Building A New Farm Garden Shed (Pt. 8)

My garden shed build is coming along nicely, and, in fact, I have  almost got it dried in (protected from the elements). Next I need to work on the soffits and fascia, which needs to be done before I put the roof on—or, according to my philosophy it does. I think of a building project like a lasagna, where each layer needs to be completed before moving on to the next one.

To cut the soffit material, you need just a couple of tools. One is a straight edge, and for this I’m using a track system that fits on my circular saw. This track system will allow me to make pretty straight cuts, but I’m going to cut my fascia boards from my two pieces first because I want to keep the factory edge. Why? Because, even using a track, the circular saw can cut a slightly wavy line and, if that happens, it’ll be hidden by the trim layer. The dead-straight factory edge, though, will be on the bottom and visible.

Make sure you check out the video, where I show you how to adjust the saw so the teeth will barely clear the wood—and leave my sawhorses intact.

You’ll see in the video that I’ve got some slight gaps between the top of the garden shed wall and the roof beams. Is this a problem? No, it’s not. In following steps, we’ll be installing trim that will cover that up and, at the end, caulking the gap to ensure the shed is weather tight and not so easy for bugs to enter.

But, as I said, that’s a future “lasagna” layer, as are window installation and hanging the door. Next up, it’s time for me to put on the roof, at which point this shed will be pretty close to done.

Categories
Crops & Gardening Farm & Garden News

Improve Your Farm Soil Health On World Soil Day 2023

Happy World Soil Day! Back in 2013, the United Nations General Assembly chose Dec. 5 as the date for annual World Soil Day, which was held for the first time in 2014. According to the United Nations website, World Soil Day is “a means to focus attention on the importance of healthy soil and to advocate for the sustainable management of soil resources.”

Here at Hobby Farms, we care a lot about soil. Without healthy soil, we can’t grow productive gardens, orchards and crops. That’s why we’ve spent years exploring topics pertaining to the maintenance and improvement of soil health.

Are you looking for ways to improve your farm or garden soil? Here’s a roundup of helpful articles to get you started:

What To Know About Healthy Soil (Part 1) and What To Know About Healthy Soil (Part 2)

What constitutes healthy soil? This two-part article dives into the details.

8 Ways To (Almost) Instantly Improve Your Soil 

For a basic overview of soil-improving strategies, this article is a good place to start.

These 10 Crops Will Help You Improve Your Soil 

Cover crops and green manures can protect and improve soil. We’re sharing the details on 10 crops that do the job well.

Cover Crops Can Protect & Build Healthy Soil

Cover crops are so important that we’ve had multiple authors address the topic.

Cover Crops Help Improve Soil, Garden Produce & Climate Conditions

For another exploration of cover crops, check out this story.

3 Ways To Feed Your Soil With Fallen Leaves

Tree leaves are a great carbon addition to garden soil, providing calcium, magnesium and more. Here are three ways to incorporate leaves into your soil.

8 Great Soil Amendments For Your Garden

Ready to think outside the box? These eight soil amendments, including coffee grounds and seafood shells, can improve your soil.

Video: Use Manure Compost To Improve Garden Soil

This video article explains, through both text and video, a way to add manure compost to your garden soil.

Regenerative Agriculture Is Farming For Better Soil

Rotational grazing of livestock can help improve soil health, as this article explains.

Use Worm Counts To Assess Soil Health & Improvement 

Worms do a lot to improve soil quality, and counting how many reside in a small area of ground can give you clues to the health of your soil.

Protect Soil & Growing Beds In Winter With These 4 Tips

Taking steps to prevent erosion and minimize temperature swings during winter is good for your soil. This article explains how to do it.

Use Pigs To Improve Your Soil & Landscape

A herd of pigs can clear weeds, reclaim overgrown land, dig up roots and more. Under the right circumstances, pigs work wonders improving soil.

Fertility Management Stage One Gets Soil In Shape

What is the pH level of your soil, and does it need amending? The kickoff article in this two-part series explores stage one of soil fertility management.

Garden Soil Fertility Management Stages 2 & 3

The second installment of this two-part series on soil fertility management dives into forming Permabeds, adding compost and side-dressing, and managing your annual crop cycles.

Air & Water Are Critical To Garden Soil Fertility Management

Soil isn’t comprised solely of “dirt.” Ideally it will be 25 percent air and 25 percent water, allowing microorganisms to thrive and water to carry nutrients around. This article explains it all.

Weed Suppression Methods To Build Better Soil

It’s possible to suppress weeds without using weed barrier fabric. Cardboard and cover crops are alternative (and more beneficial) options, as this article describes.

Calculating How Much Soil You Need For A Raised Garden Bed

You know you need quality soil, but exactly how much do you need? If you’ll be planting in raised garden beds, this simple math formula provides the answer

Check Your Soil Drainage Before Planting Fruit Trees 

Adequate soil drainage is important to avoid drowning plants in waterlogged soil. This article explores digging test holes and ponders potential remedies for poorly draining soils.

Video: How To Collect A Sample For A Soil Test

Want to learn more about the composition of your soil? Have it professionally tested. This video shows how to collect a soil sample.

Choose The Right Soil Test For Your Farm

For information on different types of soil tests, including pros and cons, give this article a read.

Build Healthy Soil Naturally With Probiotic Farming 

This article provides an in-depth look at probiotic farming, which encompasses many of the soil-improving strategies (including cover crops and composting) we’ve already explored.

Categories
Crops & Gardening Farm & Garden Homesteading

Tips For Growing A Bumper Crop Of Garden Veggies

“When you have 98 degrees F and 95 percent humidity, it’s hot,” says Michael Spencer, who lives on 3 acres northwest of Houston, Texas. “We were triple digit for over 20 days with no rain. It was brutal.” 

Despite the 2023 drought, Spencer harvested bumper crops of tomatoes, okra, potatoes and numerous vegetables, using several gardening techniques.  

Tomato Time

An organic gardener, Spencer nabbed plants at the local feed store, without knowing their varieties. He purchased three hybrid tomato plants and one cherry tomato plant, each 4 to 6 inches tall, and he planted them inside 3-foot-tall tomato cages during mid-March. To encourage growth, he clipped all of the bottom leaves off the tomato plants, leaving only the top three sprouts. 

“I started clipping them when they began growing, at about three weeks,” Spencer says. “When they reached 3 feet tall, they were growing and spreading. I circled one piece of 4-by-4 and 4-feet-tall wire around all four bushes. The plants took off and spread everywhere. They were 6 feet tall. Once they went over the wire and began flowering, I stopped pruning. There were flowers everywhere.” 

The Spencers began picking tomatoes by June. Compared to previous years, and their neighbors, they harvested a bumper crop. 

Because our water has chlorine in it, I try to avoid using it,” Spencer says. “I only use tap water when necessary. I used my rain barrel until it was dry. It’s amazing what happens to plants when it rains versus using tap water.” 

bumper crop tomatoes potatoes okra onion

Oh, Okra

Tomatoes aside, Spencer randomly grabbed okra seed packets at the seed store. He planted two rows, 6 inches apart, in the tomato bed.  

“I don’t think the tap water bothered the okra as much as the tomatoes,” Spencer says. “I just kept watering. I’ve never seen okra like this. The plants are 10 feet tall. I used a ladder to get into the bed, and then I would hand walk myself to the top, bend the plant over, and pick the okra.” 

Spencer’s okra began producing in late June. And he continued to harvest his bumper crop during Thanksgiving week.  

bumper crop tomatoes potatoes okra onion

Taters & Onions

With an eye on potatoes, he prepped his potato and onion bed. Then he covered the bed with cardboard pieces to block weeds until he planted. 

Spencer says, “You’re supposed to plant potatoes after the last frost. But I outguessed the weather and planted in mid-February. I bought a bag of golden potatoes at the grocery. I cut red and golden potatoes into quarters. I dug a 6-inch-deep trough and buried them. And as they sprouted, I added my garden soil mix on them. “ 

Circling back a few years, Spencer began gardening in 2014, when he cobbled a 6-feet-by-12-feet (and-1-foot-high) raised garden bed. Then in 2015, he crafted a raised bed from blue Hackett Oklahoma stone. Now in his 60s, all the bending over and weeding took its toll on Spencer.  

So, in 2022, he built a third, 2-foot-high raised bed. Spencer used 2-inch-by-12-inch-by-12-foot long treated lumber, lining it with black weed barrier on the sides and bottom. As well, he used 4-by-4 (and 8-foot-tall) treated lumber posts in the corners to connect everything. Also, Spencer raised his other beds to 2 feet high. 

Spencer filled his beds with compost that included grass clippings and leaves, saved since 2019, packing it down to 15 inches high. Atop the compost, he added a garden soil mix made of soil, sand, mulch and mushroom compost. A slow-release organic fertilizer, mushroom compost’s ingredients usually include various organic materials and animal manure. 

Meeting the Challenge

Since deer, rabbits and other critters freely nosh on his acreage, Spencer installed a gated, 8-foot-tall wire fence, with 2-inch-by-2-inch openings, around the beds. 

Other challenges include nutsedge grass. So, after a good, soaking rain in January or February, Spencer digs a foot down and removes the nuts, which are the source of the weeds. 

After harvesting the bumper crop, Spencer washes his tomatoes. He washes and then blanches his unpeeled potatoes, steaming them for two minutes. Everything goes into freezer bags for freezer preservation. 

Born in Alaska Territory, Spencer grew up in Oklahoma, and he says gardening success is in his blood. His French grandparents were wheat farmers in Saskatchewan, Canada. Their huge vegetable garden plus livestock provided all of their food.  

Spencer began picking raspberries and cucumbers on their farm by age five. After his grand-pére died, his grand-mére continued gardening into her late 90s. And she passed the shovel to Spencer’s mother. 

Harkening to his roots, Spencer says, “I grow up to half of our vegetables now, and I know what we’re getting in our food.” 

Categories
Animals Equipment Farm & Garden Large Animals News

A Large Animal Vet’s List Of Thanks For Farm Equipment

Likely the holiday period for you features some attention toward thankfulness. Let me try to be cognizant and not hypocritical about this very concept as I rush to complete shopping lists and logistics for travel that include directions for the farm sitter. As I reflect on the year—and the weather and the animals that are a big part of it—it’s really the simple things that come to the forefront.And although I call this piece “A Large Animal Vet’s List of Thanks,” I’m betting hobby farmers out there will find many similarities to their lists as well. In fact, you’ve probably got some pieces of farm equipment on your lists that I could use myself, so I suppose this could also work double-duty as a sort of simple gift list.

After all, you can never have too many Hot Hands, can you?

Instant Thermometers

Quick, reliable, accurate and relatively cheap, these thermometers are a must-have piece of farm equipment for any vet. Don’t let the old-timers regale you with stories about those mercury thermometers. Digital works just fine. Just be sure you have a few on-hand. They are easy to misplace or lose in tall grass, never to be seen again.

Alpaca/Wool Socks

I have been lucky enough to receive a few pairs of socks made from alpaca fiber from various clients. They are wonderful. A hearty pair of wool socks will also do a darn fine job on those bitter, cold days that are coming.

Orange Knit Hat

If you can insulate the top of your head in cold weather, you’ve won half the battle. The orange is a bonus in case you’re in a remote wooded area during hunting season. Safety first.

Headlamp

The night comes early this time of year. When you can’t afford to lose one hand while holding a flashlight, but you need to see two feet in front of you, a headlamp is the key. Trudging my way through a cow pasture at midnight? No problem. Investigating a wound on the belly of a horse in a dark stall? Easy peasy.

Coveralls

Depending on your location, lined coveralls are worth bonus points.  Properly made, these things are nearly indestructible. No holes nor snags nor loose threads will stop me and, incredibly, they are relatively impervious to stains as well.

Mine are a dark green for no particular reason, but any color will do. Plus the pockets are to die for. Pen? Got it. Notebook? Here you go. Above-mentioned instant thermometer? Always got it on me. Band-Aid? If I haven’t run out already.

Lined Rubber Muck Boots

These coupled with the socks above are a double threat to those sub-zero temps when you’re trudging through a sloppy pasture, crossing a creek to get to a down animal, or just heading to a muddy barn—which happens even to the best of us sometimes.

Extra Power Cord for Smartphone

Tuck it in your glove compartment and forget about it until you need it.

Thermos

Hot tea, coffee, cocoa—whatever your hot drink of choice, a Thermos is an indispensable piece of farm equipment on a cold winter day. With a good insulated container, you can have a comfy beverage at your fingertips all day long.

Extra Extension Cords

The concept of duplicity is important in this list. You may have one of everything, but having an extra on hand is really something to be thankful for. I can’t tell you how many extension cords I’ve left at other farms, but at least I know they’re being used. Maybe it’s the real gift that keeps on giving. It’s the little things, right?

Categories
Farm & Garden Food Recipes

Recipe: Spiced Custard Pie Is A Holiday Treat

This twist on a classic custard pie incorporates cinnamon, nutmeg and cardamom for a little holiday season flair. It’s an easy recipe to pull together when you know guests are on their way. The pies can be served at room temperature or chilled, with or without a dollop of fresh whipped cream. This recipe makes two shallow 9-inch pies—the kind that result from using store-bought pie shells. If you make your own pie crust and use a deep pie pan, expect to only have enough filling to make one pie.

Yield: two 9-inch pies

Ingredients

  • 2 1/2 cups whole milk
  • 4 large eggs
  • two 9-inch pie shells, edges crimped
  • 3/4 cup sugar
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground cardamom
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
  • 1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt

Preparation

In a large saucepan over medium heat, scald the milk. Warm until bubbles begin to form around the edges and steam begins to rise from the center, 4 to 5 minutes. Remove from the heat, and let cool for 10 minutes.

While the milk cools, you should preheat your oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit. 

To a medium bowl, add three of the eggs. Separate the fourth egg, adding the white to a small bowl and the yolk to the bowl with the other eggs. Use a fork to whisk the white until a little frothy, about 1 minute. 

Prick the bottom of pie shells in a few places with a fork. Brush the pie shells with egg white. 

Place them on a baking sheet and bake for 5 minutes. The egg wash will create a slight sheen over the crust. 

While the pie shells bake, add the sugar to the bowl with the eggs and whisk to combine. Slowly whisk in the cooled, scaled milk. Whisk more vigorously to combine all ingredients and create a frothy top on the liquid. Whisk in the vanilla, cardamom, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt. 

If your milk was still a little too warm and solids formed in the egg, don’t worry. Simply strain the liquid through a mesh colander before adding it to the pie shells. 

Pour half of the liquid in each of the pie shells. Bake for about 40 minutes, until the crust is golden brown and the top of the custard is golden yellow. The pies should quiver only slightly when you move the pan. 

Transfer to a cooling rack, and let the custard pies cool for 1 hour. Slice to enjoy at room temperature, or store in the refrigerator until ready to serve. 

This article originally appeared in the Nov./Dec. 2023 issue of Chickens magazine.

Categories
Farm & Garden Food Homesteading Recipes

Recipe: Fermented Cranberry Salsa Cream Cheese Dip 

So many cranberry recipes were shared over the past month and one I kept seeing over and over was for a cranberry cream cheese dip. I finally decided to click on a couple recipes and quickly realized that the recipe is essentially a cranberry salsa, poured over cream cheese and eaten with crackers—so simple.  

I decided to put my twist on it and adapt this idea to become a fermented cranberry salsa. I served it at two Thanksgiving gatherings and took notes of how to enhance it. It’s not only a tasty recipe but really beautiful with the bright red from the cranberries. 

Yield: 1 pint 

Ingredients

  • 12 ounces fresh cranberries (frozen or dried not recommended) 
  • 3 green onions 
  • 1/4 cup cilantro, extra to use as garnish 
  • 1 jalapeno pepper (or spicier pepper if you prefer more heat) 
  • 1 lime, squeezed 
  • 1/4 cup white granulated sugar 
  • 1/2 tsp coarse kosher salt 

Instructions 

Wash cranberries, discarding any stems and bruised or white berries. 

Using a food processor, pulse the cranberries a few times until they are broken down. Add the remaining ingredients and process until finely chopped. 

Transfer the cranberry salsa into a clean pint canning jar. Push salsa down into the jar, trying to remove any air pockets within the mixture. Leave at least a 1/2 inch of headspace from the salsa to the rim of the jar. 

Wipe off the rim of the jar with a clean dampened towel. Add the canning jar lid and tightly screw on the ring. 

fermented cranberry relish
Stephanie Thurow

Fermentation 

This is just a quick ferment. I fermented my cranberry salsa 24 hours, but 48 hours would be fine if you have the time. 

Ferment at room temperature, ideally between 60 to 75 degrees F, and keep out of direct sunlight. 

Once the salsa is fermented, it can be eaten as you would any other salsa. If you’d like to make the dip I referenced, soften 8 ounces of cream cheese until spreadable. Spread it out evenly in a small dish, about 9 inches by 7 inches, and pour the salsa over the cream cheese. Garnish with additional chopped cilantro before serving. Enjoy with crackers. 

Categories
Beginning Farmers Crops & Gardening Farm & Garden

Breaking Barriers With The Black Yard Farm Collective

Headquartered in New York, the Black Yard Farm Collective is focused on boosting the number of Black farmers operating in the agricultural world.

“The collective is providing space for folks of the African diaspora to learn, experience and enjoy an agricultural space dedicated to uplifting African and African-American ancestral practices and contributions to farming,” explains founder Ashanti Williams, who launched the initiative in 2020.

Taking a moment out from organizing the collective, we spoke to Williams about the roots of the organization and the many joys of okra.

Farming Roots

“I was raised growing food in a community garden that my family started in the ’90s,” says Williams, recalling her farming roots. “In my early 20s, I had the opportunity to raise layer hens in the garden. This experience inspired me to pursue a career in animal husbandry and sparked my desire to transition from urban to rural farming.”

Breaking Down Barriers

Part of the Black Yard Farm Collective mission involves opening up farming opportunities to Black farmers who might be facing barriers to entry. Williams points to “secure land access and sourcing the capital to fund a farm business” as key problems to overcome.

“As a Black farmer, I’ve also had to deal with racism, culture shock and lack of diversity in the rural spaces that I’ve transitioned to,” adds Williams.

Getting Into Okra

When it comes to her own farming adventures, Williams says that okra was 2023’s runaway success.

“I was a little late in getting the starts transplanted in the ground, but I planted them in a high tunnel, which extended the growing season a little longer,” explains Williams. “Okra is not a crop that a lot of vendors offer at the market where I sell, so customers were excited to see it offered at my stand. My parents are from South Carolina, so okra has always been a staple veggie in my home growing up.”

Cooking With Okra

“Some of my favorite ways to enjoy it are sautéed with sweet corn, tomatoes and summer squash or served with a side of cornbread,” says Williams when asked about ideas for cooking with okra.

More recently, Williams has also been experimenting with chopping raw okra and soaking it in water in the fridge overnight with a splash of lemon juice to crate a hydrating drink.

Providing Opportunities

Looking over the Black Yard Farm Collective story so far, Williams pinpoints the most rewarding part of the process as being able to provide the sort of opportunities that were absent during her own journey transitioning to rural farming.

“Being able to inspire others to consider this profession by existing in agriculture and being a representative of what it could look like for them,” she says, before adding that she takes nourishment from being able to farm “in ways that allow me to give back to my community and with other like-minded individuals as my ancestors did before me.”

Follow Black Yard Farm on Instagram.

Categories
Animals Chickens 101 Farm & Garden Flock Talk Health & Nutrition Poultry

Chicken Chat: Growing A Joyful, Fancy Flock

One day in October 2014, my family’s beloved cat passed away. We spent nearly two years mourning the loss before we discovered a new pet: chickens! We researched their care and supplies they needed before building a coop from scratch in our backyard. It took us a month to complete, and then we adopted two full-grown hens: Janet and Henny Penny. We had no idea that chickens would be so amazing and fun. Both hens brought so much joy to our lives for many years. 

Henny Penny ended up outliving Janet, and we bought three more chicks: Sweetie (a Black Australorp), Zippy (a Silver Laced Wyandotte) and Cocoa (an Ameraucana). They grew up to be well behaved except for Cocoa. She chased everyone! We gave her away to a loving home where she spent the rest of her loving days. Henny Penny had an excellent life and passed away from old age. We are very grateful she accompanied us for such a long time. At that time, we were down to two chickens that were (and still are) inseparable. 

Out of This World

After Henny Penny passed, we got two chicks on the same day that Perseverance, NASA’s Mars rover, landed on the red planet. In honor of that historic event, we named the New Hampshire Red, Perseverance (Percy), and the Ameraucana, Luna. 

A year later and our flock was getting along great. However, I wanted to raise chicks on my own that other chicken-lovers could “adopt,” so I purchased four chicks and all their supplies with my own money. I picked a Rhode Island Red (Ginger), a Buff Orpington (Buffy), a Golden Laced Wyandotte (Dotty) and an Ameraucana (Lou). 

I thought I was raising four girls until realizing that Lou was a boy! I wouldn’t have minded too much if we lived in the country. But we live in the city, so Lou had to go to his adopted family sooner. He now lives on a big farm. 

With one rooster out of the way, there came another, Buffy. I had the strongest bond with Buffy from the start. Buffy would do a rooster dance every time he saw me. A rooster dance (aka tidbitting) is a dance roosters do to show affection to their owners or hens. One time he even dug up an earthworm and gave it to me. 

I tried everything to keep him, even putting a rooster collar on him. But it didn’t work. A couple weeks went by, and it was time to say goodbye to Buffy. He currently lives on the same farm as Lou.

Dotty suddenly looked very sick. She was the oldest out of the four but extremely tiny for her breed. Never in six years have I ever seen a standard chicken her age that was so small. Her face was white, not the normal pinkish red, and she didn’t have a comb. Dotty passed away naturally in our arms. Our friend even tried to do CPR on her, but it didn’t work. We presume that she was born with an illness that made it difficult for her to grow.   

 Sour Experiences

While chicken-keeping is fun and exciting, you also must deal with sick or injured chickens. Let’s face it: That is difficult. A lot of people would just take the bird to the vet, but a lot of the time you still end up with a dead bird. 

We had that problem when our New Hampshire Red, Percy, got sick with sour crop. Sour crop is terrible to treat, and the smell is awful! We had to force her to throw up whatever was troubling her stomach, fast for a day and no water for 12 hours. We also isolated her for a couple days so we could keep an eye on her. 

When she was able to eat again, we gave her fermented (soaked) feed and let her recover. Don’t worry. She’s still alive and perfectly well!

Chickens are fun animals to have and are constantly looking to explore. Buff Orpingtons are my favorite breed because of Buffy and Henny Penny. For people who are just getting into the hobby, I recommend Australorps, Rhode Island Reds and Orpingtons. They are hardy and docile breeds that are great to start with. Also, if all goes wrong and you can’t get the breed you want, you can’t go wrong with Orpingtons. 

Stella M. (age 11) lives in California. 

This article originally appeared in the Nov./Dec. 2023 issue of Chickens magazine. Have a great story about your flock? Email the story of your birds in ~750 words to chickens@chickensmagazine.com (subject line: Chicken Chat). Be sure to include high-resolution images of yourself, your chickens and/or your coop. The author of each issue’s published essay receives a prize from one of our ad partners. (See print magazine for rules. Sponsor: EG Media Investments LLC)

Categories
Animals Chickens 101 Farm & Garden Flock Talk News Poultry

Chicken Coop For The Soul: Therapy Chickens At Work

When Tanya Bailey was diagnosed with cancer in 2016, she already knew that animals could have a big impact on mental health. As a licensed clinical social worker who specializes in animal-assisted therapy, Bailey has spent her career finding meaningful ways for people and animals to interact. It wasn’t until that cancer diagnosis, though, that Bailey got to see in action just how important the animal-human bond can be in the most acute situations. Bailey had always loved her chickens, she says, but during her treatment, they gave her a reason to keep going.  

“We have cats, and we have dogs,” she says. “So it’s not like I didn’t have other beings in my life, but [the chickens] really required me to go to them, which meant I had to be intentional about doing that. I would go out and sit outside with them and just be there, because otherwise, I would just go back to bed and sleep the whole time. They were motivators for me to stay engaged with life a little bit.”

Going outside and being with her chickens was one of the few things during a chaotic and frightening time that she had control over. Every time she went outside to spend time with them, she regained agency in her life, little by little.

Bailey’s story helped reinforce for her the reasons why she believes in the power of animal-assisted therapy. In her therapy practice and in her current role as the animal-assisted interactions coordinator of the PAWS (Pet Away Worry & Stress) program at the University of Minnesota, she had seen the magic that different animals could have on people who needed a little furry (or, in the case of chickens, feathery) affection. She also has always loved chickens and thought they had a special place in therapeutic work. Now, with her own story in tow, she gets to see that magic continue every day.

She’s not the only one. More and more animal- assisted therapy programs are including chickens and other poultry animals in their practice. And as many clients begin to see when they start working with a chicken, preconceived ideas about birds are starting to fly the coop. 

therapy chickens chicken

Chickens Can Make a Change

According to the American Psychological Association, animal-assisted therapy is “the therapeutic use of pets to enhance individuals’ physical, social, emotional or cognitive functioning. Animal-assisted therapy may be used, for example, to help people receive and give affection, especially in developing communication and social skills.” 

Any animal can be used in animal-assisted therapy, but dogs and horses are the reigning favorites in the mental health kingdom. At Animal Assisted Therapy Programs of Colorado (AATPC), therapists work alongside 11 species of animals—including chickens—on a 3 1/2-acre ranch in suburban Arvada, Colorado, to serve anyone who can benefit from the comfort of a critter during mental and behavioral health services. 

For Becki Taylor, the development director at AATPC, the question isn’t why chickens. It’s why not. 

“I truly believe that any animal has some therapeutic lesson to provide,” Taylor says. “An animal doesn’t have to be sitting in your lap, super cuddly and kissing you all the time to be a therapy animal. Each animal provides their own unique impact to therapy.”

Their small flock of chickens exists alongside goats, alpacas, horses, miniature horses, donkeys, guinea pigs, rats, rabbits, cats and dogs. Therapy clients at AATPC—frequently children—can do their therapy alongside different animals at each session, and their therapists often help them navigate the challenges of their lives by observing and interacting with the animals. 

For example, some children need to do their therapy sessions with animals that are more personable or familiar, such as a dog or a cat. Some children, on the other hand, can better relate to the attitudes of the farm animals, such as alpacas or chickens. In any of the interactions, therapists can use the animals’ temperaments and exchanges with not only the clients, but also with other animals, as entry points into conversation. 

“Animal-assisted therapy has a really special way of connecting people to emotions and feelings and discovering new elements about themselves,” Taylor says. “Animals kind of have this way of being able to unlock things in us that a traditional counseling setting may not be able to approach.” 

When therapy clients work with chickens, they can confront any fears they may have around birds, as well as rethink some of their biases. This often allows therapists to ask questions about the relationships in a client’s life, and the ways they feel misunderstood or judged. Some clients watch the birds and make observations about the pecking order within a flock, and then therapists can use that as an opportunity to talk about bullying.

In addition, chickens can be used to help children better understand themselves and their families. 

“A flock of chickens can be a beautiful example of a blended family for those that have been adopted, are children of divorce or are creating their families by adopting,” says Kim Dennis, a master’s level intern at AATPC who frequently works with chickens and also used to keep chickens.

“Chickens have unique personalities that clients can observe and come to know, which speaks to the uniqueness of all people. I love seeing clients develop loving relationships with their favorite chicken and being excited about that bond, as for most, it’s their first time interacting with a chicken.”

Dennis also points out that chickens can help children learn regulation and how to calm themselves in order to be able to interact with the chickens without scaring them. Chickens are also great to help her clients ground themselves by using a 5-4-3-2-1 exercise. 

“What are five colors I see on this chicken?” Dennis says. “What are four textures? What are three things I’m hearing from this chicken? And so on. Chickens also seem to enjoy being held while a person is meditating, so I have definitely done this before as well.”

It’s not just about what the chickens can teach, though. It’s also about the comfort a chicken can provide just by being there. Kathy Hulley, a licensed professional counselor and co-founder of the Mane Mission in Sedalia, Colorado, never expected to see the kind of profound interactions between her clients and chickens that she has now seen. The first time she saw a chicken making an impact, it was with a client who was a sex-trafficking survivor. This client had grown up on a farm with chickens, and when she came out to the Mane Mission for animal-assisted therapy, she gravitated toward the farm’s small coop.

She and one of the chickens bonded instantly, and she walked around with the chicken in her arms, even eating her lunch sitting right next to the bird and placing it on the back of a horse. 

Hulley is the first to admit that she isn’t a chicken expert. But while she can’t tell one breed from the next, she can tell when something is working to benefit the mental health of her clients. 

“An animal will choose you,” she says. “When [that client] went out there with the chickens, that one chose her. It was such a beautiful moment for me, because I didn’t expect that, and the look of healing on her face was just crazy. I think all animals sense your calmness, and the chickens are no different. They just know who is hurting. You never know when somebody comes out here what animal is going to touch their heart.” 

therapy chickens chicken

The Right Therapy Chickens for the Job

Bailey is wild about Rhode Island Reds. There’s something special about the breed. To this day, after years of spending time around chickens, when she walks onto a farm, a Rhode Island Red is the first to approach her. 

Unsurprisingly, this breed was one of the first she worked with in a therapeutic capacity. She learned quickly, though, that due to breeding for production, the genetic features of the Reds led to shorter lifespans and less time she could spend nurturing and bonding with an animal she loved. So her research on longer-living chicken breeds pointed her back to the drawing board, and led her to her current birds of a feather—silkies.  

“I couldn’t believe how cute they were,” Bailey says. “When I do work with people with sort of the ‘regular’ chicken, a lot of people are really hesitant. The wonderful thing about silkies is they don’t look like a chicken. They look like puff balls.”

That’s one of the things she loves most about silkies is how they help break down people’s defenses. The students she works with at the University of Minnesota consistently tell her that they never would have thought petting a chicken would be so comforting and that they never expected a chicken to be so personable or smart. Those qualities—plus the ease of training and inherent sweetness of the breed—are what gives them a claw up in Bailey’s book. 

But even though silkies are her go-to therapy chickens now, Bailey is quick to point out that they are far from the only breed suitable for the job. 

“Any chicken can do this work … if they want to and … if they have the right partner that also wants to do the work with them,” she says. “In the right hands with somebody that knows birds, they probably could pick up any chicken and make it work.”

It comes down to personality and traits, according to Dennis at AATPC. If a chicken is comfortable around people and can be safely handled, it has the potential to be a good therapy chicken. 

With Great Impact Comes Great Responsibility

Just like it is a therapist’s job to ensure the safety and well-being of their clients, it’s important that any humans working in animal-assisted therapy create spaces and environments that are safe for chickens and other animals involved. This not only means paying attention to cues and not pushing past boundaries, but it also means recognizing therapy animals as coworkers and partners in therapy, rather than just as tools to do the work.

“I call them literally my co-therapists, my co-educators and my-co facilitators because they are frankly doing just as much, if not more of the work than what I’m doing,” Bailey says.

She pointed to an ethical dilemma currently at play in the animal-assisted therapy world, in which the field itself is working to recognize the impact it has on the animals within it. That impact isn’t always positive, and that’s why her focus is on a sort of parity between herself, her clients and her furry and feathery co-therapists. 

At AATPC, there is a practice-wide emphasis on ensuring the animals always have an out. “At the ranch we make sure that all animals are able to say ‘no’ in the way they can to being in a session, which emphasizes the importance of consent and respecting the wishes of others,” Dennis says. 

The Heart of the Matter

Animal-assisted therapy is for everyone, and any person can benefit from the love of an animal, the Mane Mission’s Hulley emphasized. The universal nature of it comes from the fact that every animal has its own unique personality, just like every person who comes to their farm. There are people who gravitate to the horses or those, like the trafficking survivor, who find solace in the company of a chicken. Even the Mane Mission’s resident grumpy goose finds love with some of the farm’s visitors, now and then. 

It comes down to the walls that animals can help humans break down. That’s why animal-assisted therapy works, and, as Bailey knows better than most, that’s why chickens and other animals can make life just a little more worth living. 

“When you are with an animal, you can’t be disengaged from your gut,” she says. “You can’t be disengaged from your heart, because an animal makes that connection for you. I think we, as humans, think things have to be hard and difficult in order to work, but [chickens] really solidified for me the power of simple—the power of the little things.

“You don’t need to have this big, raging horse running full steam or a backyard full of llamas. [Chickens] are such a beautiful teacher of being present, finding the humor and finding the joy. 

This article originally appeared in the Nov./Dec. 2023 issue of Chickens magazine.