Chickens: An Antidote to Life’s Blistering Pace

In this 2024 conversation with Justine Willis Toms, Tedra Hamel tells us that keeping chickens in an urban setting has become increasingly popular in recent years. They not only produce eggs, they give us the delightful pleasure of their company. When feeling stressed and anxious just take a moment or two to pull up a chair outside a chicken coop and let these feathered friends entertain you, erase your anxiety, and connect you to nature. Chickens are full of surprises in their intelligence and emotional capacity, their gorgeous feathers and variety of colors, and their inquisitiveness. Chickens even dream, dance, and meet in circles. Flocks of chickens are even being used for emotional support in care facilities. They help us feel less lonely as we delight in observing their highly social behavior. Here we explore the therapeutic benefits of chickens in promotin emotional comfort, connecting us to nature, and adding fresh eggs to our diet. 

Tedra Hamel (known as Teddi) is a critical care nurse in Washington state and a backyard chicken enthusiast. Through the inspiration of her feathered friends she has become an artist, and her hens have established some fame on Instagram. She is the author and artist illustrator of Therapy Chickens: Let the Wisdom of the Flock Bring You Joy (Quarto Publishing Group 2024)

Interview Date: 3/20/2024   Tags: Tedra Hamel, pecking order, chicken coops, roosting, chicken poop as fertilizer, egg laying, Hen Power, community chicken coops, Animals, Community, Ecology/Nature/Environment, Personal Transformation