How do you become a chicken whisperer?

This is an important topic for Permaculture, because the essence of permaculture is to improve our relation and behaviour towards our earth, our vegetables and our animals.

Moreover, I see permaculture as a part of eco-psychology, a new branch of psychology which focusses on the importance of our connection to nature for our health and the health of our planet.

In my experience as a therapist and a permaculture fan I have seen meanwhile many people visiting my Quinta as wwoofers who could grow into a much better understanding for animals by sitting with my chickens. The most perfect way to reduce stress and to chill together.

Why become a chicken whisperer?

It is generally felt that we need to reconnect to our biotope in a new more respectful way and stop using nature’s resources only for our egoistic purposes. That is why it might be of great value to become a chicken whisperer. It is a new way to learn to reconnect to a living being, a living being which respons to kindness with kindness. But always respecting the chicken as it is, and not wanting it to transform into a human being.

Lesson #1: How do you become a chicken whisperer?

I’ve had chickens since I was 12, I can say I speak ‘chicken’. I have always communicated with chickens, and many of the problems chicken keepers encounter about chicken behavior can be solved if you understand the chicken better. Chickens are ancient very intelligent creatures, in their own way. Bond with your chickens, give them the chance to get to know you better and vv. Pick them up and first learn how to hold a chicken so that the chicken feels relaxed. Support the legs, clearly give them the feeling of security by gripping them firmly but not too tightly. Go under the wings with one hand and feel their bodies. Have them sit on your lap and massage the upper thighs. They will soon close their eyes and chill with you. There is nothing better for stress than chilling with your own chickens!

Practice Love first on Animals, they are more sensitive – G.I. Gurdjeff

Lesson #2: how to take a chicken in your hands.

About Catching the Chicken
Chickens almost always run away when you try to grab them, especially because people try to grab them from above and/or from behind, directions where predators such as foxes and birds of prey can come out. Do not do that!
Slowly walk next to your chicken and scoop her up from the Front and from the Bottom up, with a sort of scooping gesture. Immediately you support the feet and press the chickens against your chest, so that they experience support everywhere.
If you approach your chickens like they are sentient beings like us, you will be able to experience their individual character more and more. There are definitely a few who never want to cuddle, because they have a very strong flight-response. Even those chickens can be touched. If she sits on the stick during the evening light, slowly and from both sides put your hands around her body.

Let’s all become a chicken whisperer and explain and show! to people that Chickens have a right on a ChickenWorthy existence too!

Eco-education and eco-bonding

To become a chicken whisper is to support the world wide proces of ‘Eco-education’, the base of a transformed relation between our natural environment and ourselves. Eco-education and ec0-psychology can be described as a whole-person growth process, helping people to reconnection to nature (also called ‘eco-bonding’).