You’ve probably wondered, as you pass by the FRAH on your morning commute, “Did I just see a bunch of chickens in the parking lot?!”  The answer would be, “Probably!”, because Dr. Sheridan’s family has been raising pet chickens for eggs and other enjoyments on James Island for many years.  Occasionally, he lets them stretch their legs (and wings) in the thick azaleas and the shade of the live oaks on the FRAH campus.  It has been reported that especially robust earthworms and beetles can be found there in the mulchy earth. Pure chicken heaven!

(We know chickens don’t look exactly like this…)

Free-range, backyard chickens willingly trade their bio-security for a little freedom and personal enrichment.  Exposure to natural disease and sometimes trauma from predators is the occasional result.  They don’t seem to mind, because 17 out of 18 birds surveyed, said they would do it again, if they could- but sometimes their owners get a little worried.  That’s where the FRAH can be of support to owners of these wonderful pets.  Dr. Sheridan can provide medical and surgical care for chickens that prefer to live life on the edge!

Generally, the last week of February through the first days of March Is Bird Health Awareness Week.  Activities and programs offered throughout the week give students, bird lovers, and poultry owners an opportunity to learn simple steps to keep their flocks healthy. Bird Health Awareness Week is to promote awareness of and ways to prevent the spread of infectious poultry diseases by the USDA Animal and Plant Inspection Service’s (APHIS). You can see the archived webinars and other information on their website: Biosecurity For Birds.