Backyard chickens are more than livestock these days. In some cases, they get regular care by veterinarians and fall into the pet category along with dogs and cats.
An article in USA Today tells us,
"But Americans have begun treating their fowl more like pets than livestock. And just as with our beloved cats and dogs, nothing is too much for our little Foghorn Leghorns."
And that includes chicken rehab for hens that are disabled or need assistance from an injury. Recently chicken therapy chairs are helping a number of roos and hens rescued across the country.
Chicken Therapy Chairs are designed to assist with the recovery & rehabilitation of chickens experiencing injury, disability & post-surgical procedures. Chicken Therapy Chairs is a company in Australia that is selling a number of popular wheelchairs to rescues.
ABC news tells us about Miranda Boulton of Chicken Therapy Chairs who lives in Melbourne and designs these poultry chairs,
"Ms Boulton, who also works as a childcare director, first made one of the small wheelchairs for a rescue chicken that needed rehabilitation at the start of year, and has made more than 100 since then.
Most of the demand for her chairs comes from the United States, but she has also made them for people in New Zealand, Denmark, Germany, Canada and the United Kingdom."
Rescued roosters receive rehab treatment.
The rescue stories range from roos with broken legs that cannot walk to injured hens involved in terrible forest fires that destroyed their coop.
The blogger, The Funky Chicken, rescued a roo and the wheelchair saved his life. The rooster named "roo" was given his chair as part of his rehab management program.
"This unusual poultry wheelchair allows Roo to stand and gives him some mobility to recover from his injuries. Darcy's daughter also gives Roo physical therapy by massaging his legs and helping him learn to walk in the wheelchair."
The stories are endless!
Chicken wheelchairs for rescue chickens are possible because of brands like Chicken Therapy Chairs.
These chairs are appropriate for chickens with a head injury, balance or neurological impairments, those hens that have undergone surgery for bone fractures and sustained significant soft tissue injury.
Chickens are clearly becoming part of the family rather than simply livestock that produce fresh eggs. Many farm animal sanctuary organizations are using these therapy wheelchairs for hens and roos that typically would be kept in separate cages until fully recovered.
The Funky Chicken's Facebook page is a wonderful resource with many success stories for injured roosters and hens.
See the chair in action on Good Day Sacramento when a chicken rescued is being rehabbed and learning to walk again.
Would you order a wheelchair for a member of your flock? Let us know in the comments below!
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