A parrot who was diagnosed with PTSD after being locked up for years is making moves toward recovery after its new owner discovered that her singing helps the bird stay calm – particularly when she sings Twinkle Twinkle Little Star.
The ten-year-old bird, named Chicken Man, was neglected and left in a cage its whole life which caused the bird to pluck out its feathers from stress.
He ended up in a shelter after being seized by animal control but due to his tendency to peck, shriek and shake when stressed, rescuers struggled to find him a home.
A parrot with PTSD: Ten-year-old Chicken Man was adopted last November by Brenda and her husband after being neglected
Finally free: Chicken Man had trouble connecting with people but that quickly changed after spending time with Brenda
Appearances aren’t everything: Brenda said that people tell her the sweet bird is ugly, but to her, what matters is his heart
‘He went through several sanctuaries and several foster families but nothing stuck. He was in a neglectful situation which led him to lose trust in people and have difficulty opening up,’ Brenda Jorgensen, Chicken Man’s new owner, said.
He even plucked his feathers out and for so long that Brenda believed many on his body would never grow back.
But that changed when Brenda and her husband, John, of Houston, Texas, adopted the bird last November.
When Chicken Man and Brenda were first introduced, Brenda said he ‘lunged, screamed and tried to bite’.
But she insisted that Chicken Man wasn’t hostile – just awkward and ‘kind of afraid of everything and everyone’.
‘He’s kind of afraid of everything and everyone – I don’t blame him, he’s been through a lot.’
Ten years in a cage: The parrot spent ten years confined and as a result, plucked out some of its feathers
Screaming and lunging: Chicken Man lunged and screamed at Brenda when they first met
Singing changed everything: But after Brenda started singing Twinkle Twinkle Little Star, the parrot immediately calmed down
But the bird’s demeanor changed after Brenda started singing Twinkle Twinkle Little Star.
‘I don’t know why I thought of that song,’ she said. But after the singing began, Chicken Man ‘grabbed his tail feathers and started dancing and clicking – I was laughing so hard’.
Brenda decided that she would give herself two months to see if the parrot would be able to connect and rely on people and it turns out he did.
Two months later, Brenda and Chicken Man now share an incredible bond and spend their days singing and dancing.
And what started out as a calming tactic has now become Chicken Man and Brenda’s favorite activity.
Chicken burrito: Brenda also started to wrap Chicken Man in a blanket to help keep his nerves low
A new feather: Since being adopted, Chicken Man’s wings have even begun to fill in
Making friends: The parrot is also keen on interacting with the couple’s other pets
Aside from Twinkle Twinkle Little Star, Chicken Man also loves to bob along to other songs – especially ones by Taylor Swift.
‘It’s cute to watch him open up,’ Brenda said. He’s also interested in interacting with Brenda and her husband’s other pets.
The couple has 13 reptiles, a Chihuahua and four birds but Chicken Man can’t be part of a flock because he was never socialized.
Brenda has also started to wrap the parrot in a blanket in what they’ve nicknamed the ‘Chicken burrito wrap’ maneuver to help calm him down.
The singing and wrapping has transformed Chicken Man’s personality and appearance with him now happily snuggling up to Brenda and his wings beginning to fill in.
But Brenda doesn’t care about the way he looks and said that although people tell he her he looks ugly, she forgets he’s naked.
‘What matters to me is his heart. If I can fix him on the inside I don’t care what the outside looks like,’ she said. ‘He’s just the way he is in all his glory – I think he’s adorable.’