Therapy hens bring joy to seniors!

When Kris Munster noticed her chickens calmed her anxiety, she decided to start a unique foundation to share the magic of her 'healing hens' with those who need it most!

- Diane Nichols

Kris Munster's Healing Hens lift the spirits of nursing home residents and the community seniors who visit the 24 therapy chickens at their coop

Drawing in a deep breath with the warmth of the sun on her face, 39-year-old Kris Munster felt a smile spread across her lips as she sat outdoors with her three new chickens. She'd wanted Silkies—a breed known for their fluffy feathers, beautiful colors and pleasing temperament—for more than a decade, but living in the city quashed that dream. Now, married and living on a ranch in Cumby, Texas, Kris was battling anxiety, isolation and depression. Wanting to help her adjust to her new life, her husband bought a chicken coop and her first three Silkies so she'd have companionship.

The hens love to be cuddled

Almost immediately, Kris began to notice that simply watching the chickens move, peck and preen themselves, while stroking their silky-soft feathers, eased her worry and loneliness like nothing else could. Excited, she went back to where her husband got the chickens and purchased three more.

She would play music while in the coop with her Silkies, spending an hour or more petting them and feeling her mood and spirit lift.

They make their joyful rounds in a special stroller