Airport chicken therapy

The presence of chickens is one thing I find charming about the current Tobago airport. These "common fowls" wander around confidently, casually, purposefully –generally unperturbed by humans, most of whom do not seem to notice or care about them.

Recently, I was at the airport to pay the airfare for a dog destined for New York (en route to her new home in Massachusetts). On my way to the bakery after leaving the Caribbean Airlines office, I noticed a woman sitting alone on a bench outside of the Rooster’s fast-food chicken outlet – a rather ironic spot for chickens to gather.

The woman was gazing at a chicken, which appeared to be gazing back at her. The moment struck me as one of peaceful bonding and mutual admiration.

As I got closer and saw the uniquely gorgeous pattern of the chicken’s earth-toned feathers, I stopped and commented to the woman: “That’s a beautiful chicken.”

She smiled and agreed with me.

Returning from the bakery, I tossed a piece of potato pie for the chicken. Immediately a host of other chickens, some with eager little chicks in tow, raced out of what seemed to be nowhere, scrambling to grab what they could of the pieces of pastry I was distributing.

As I stood for a while tossing morsels, I commented to the woman on the bench that feeding the chickens and seeing them rush and jostle for the snacks was reminiscent of feeding ducks and swans in lakes, ponds and other waterways abroad.

Around the world, feeding birds is a traditional activity enjoyed by people of all ages – some of whom stand or sit for hours, relaxing and/or quietly contemplating life, while being entertained by their feathered friends.

While some may view Tobago’s airport chickens as an eyesore, as pests, or even as food, it is not far-fetched to consider them as an untapped but viable source of relaxation for frustrated inter-island travellers.

Various articles quote the multiple benefits of bird-feeding – some of which include stress reduction, relaxation and opportunities for connecting outdoors with nature.

On occasion at the ANR Robinson International Airport, I have noticed passengers liming, chatting, relaxing and feeding chickens as they wait, pre-flight, in the grassy area outside the fast-food chicken outlet.

The bakery across the road is conveniently located for those who wish to feed these often-ravenous feathered beings. While they may appear to relish sugar biscuits, pies, sweetbread, coconut drops and other bakery goodies, floury products are not beneficial for chickens. Apart from being very low in nutrition, these items can cause weight gain, resulting in a range of potential health problems and difficulty in egg-laying.

Although bread is perhaps the most common or easily accessible food for such bird-feeding activities, it is not the best choice, especially in large quantities. It is of poor nutritional value and can affect the growth of the birds’ young negatively. Also, large quantities of uneaten bread can pollute water (where applicable) and attract vermin.

The average person most likely does not care about whether street chickens are eating well or not, especially as they are seen consuming just about any and everything (including – rather cannibalistically – fried chicken) on the nation’s roads and in garbage heaps.

A friend of mine religiously feeds doves and chickens at home, every morning around 6 o’clock. The doves gather in droves of 50 or more on the garage roof positioned below the steps to her kitchen. The street chickens gather outside or on top of her garden gate.

At first, she used to feed them bread, but switched to cracked corn, which, at $30 per bag, is more affordable, stretches further and has greater nutritional value.

She experiences bird-feeding as an opportunity to connect and commune with nature and believes that more people, particularly children, would benefit from doing it.

For various reasons, air travel is one of the greatest causes of anxiety. What do we have in place to cater to the relaxation of passengers leaving Tobago?

What if, instead of just having pastries for humans, the bakery also sold little brown bags of cracked corn – ideal for patrons wishing to spend quiet time communing with chickens before flying?

Could this potentially therapeutic practice have helped relieve the stress of the myriads of passengers who were stranded last weekend when Caribbean Airlines pilots reported sick en masse, resulting in the widespread cancellation of domestic and international flights?

Some reading this may think I am joking . . .