There is no question that healing from trauma can be complex and often long—painful at times, with many defenses gathered along the way.
I received a surprising lesson about authentic healing from Shania, one of my chickens.
Initially, I read about trauma in animals so I could best support her. What I learned was profound: animals can release trauma from their bodies without returning to the story of what happened. They live fully in the present, honoring what their bodies need in each moment. They discharge accumulated stress through shaking, running, or—in Shania’s case—by finding safety. This ability prevents long-term PTSD, which is essential for survival in the wild. Animals are not influenced by what others expect of them, whether they are taking too long, or if they are being “too much” for those around them.
They “shake off” an attack or a loss because holding onto it would distract them from what they need to pay attention to in order to survive.
Allow me to introduce Shania, our Buff Orpington chicken. Shania watched her flock of sisters be attacked by a dog and killed on a gorgeous summer day. Somehow, she managed to escape the dog that forced its way into their coop—a true miracle.
We worried she might die from shock or give up from loneliness now that her family was gone.
Every day, we went out to the coop where she chose to remain sheltered inside. We placed food and water where she was so she wouldn’t have to go out unless she chose to. We talked to her and reassured her, while she continued to stay inside. We worried she was giving up, because pecking, scratching, and basking in the sunshine were things she once loved. But outside now represented danger.
After several weeks, she ventured into the outdoor portion of her coop—still within the safety of shelter. At that point, we chose not to introduce new feathered siblings, fearing it would be too much stress during both grief and trauma.
After about a month, she began spending more time in her run and less time inside. We worried so much about the “lonely” life she was living and how sad it must be to go through days and nights without her flock.
Eventually, we decided it was time to introduce new family members—cue our rooster and six sisters. The integration went well. No one bullied Shania, and she didn’t retreat back indoors.
What she did do was continue to honor her healing process.
She ate from the feeder when the flock was distracted with treats. She went to bed when she wanted rather than with the group, sleeping alone for weeks. Her flock didn’t bully her or nudge her to join them. At the time, this made me sad—but upon reflection, I realize they were honoring their needs and accepting that she was honoring hers.
One of the girls in the new flock attached herself to Shania. They spent time together and slept side by side. It brought me comfort knowing she had a quiet companion as she healed.
Months passed this way. Slowly, Shania began mixing in more with the flock—sharing treats, lingering in the run, no longer retreating. Eventually, she joined them to sleep.
Reflecting on this process, I am in awe of how Shania knew exactly what she needed—and honored it. We made many assumptions from a human perspective, but she trusted her own pace, allowing her nervous system and body to process and integrate what she had endured.
Even more meaningful was watching the flock somehow sense that she needed space. They didn’t force, bully, or encroach—respecting that she was moving through something deeply personal.
Shania is truly a miracle. What she survived amazes us every day. Watching her live alone, then slowly integrate into an established flock, taught me so much about honoring my own needs during times of struggle and transition—and respecting the healing timelines of others.
What a gentler world it would be if we could all move at our own healing pace, free from pressure, expectations, or narratives that place us on someone else’s timeline instead of our own.
I thought I was helping Shania find a reason to live—but she was the one reminding me how to heal authentically.
