Protective Vests Help Chickens Cross the Road
Chickens can now safely cross the street.
Why did the chicken cross the road? Because it could safely, thanks to a new fluorescent jacket sold in the United Kingdom by Omlet, a company that manufactures chicken coops for pet chickens.
These garments, called “high-vis chicken jackets,” went on sale at the beginning of this month for £12 pounds (approximately $19.40). They come in pink or yellow, have holes for the birds’ wings and fasten in the front with adjustable Velcro so that the vest fits even the most portly of chickens comfortably. The bibs also contain a body warmer, lined with flectalon (used by NASA astronauts) to help insulate the birds on a cold, fall day.
Dusk can be a dangerous time for fowl because sunset is when they will be most likely to cross a street on their way home to roost.
The number of pet chickens has been on the rise, not just in the UK, but also in the United States. The birds have even been kept as pets even in city apartments. Some municipalities have passed laws to try to curb the number of chickens within city limits, but this hasn’t cut down on pet-chicken fever. In suburban Atlanta, there is a popular chicken radio show called the Chicken Whisperer hosted by Andy Schneider. Fluorescent jackets aren’t even the strangest accessories sold for these feathered creatures. Two companies, MyPetChicken.com and ChickenDiapers.com, sell colorful chicken diapers to keep them from pooping all over household floors.