Jolene, the Disability Awareness Chicken

Jolene was one of six chicks who hatched in the spring of 2021. Jolene’s egg was blue while all the others were either brown or white. Her egg was also unusually thick, and ultimately she required assistance hatching. The hatch was successful, and her tiny wet body was placed immediately in the incubator. Within a few hours her brothers and sisters were up and about, but Jolene was still crouched over in a tiny fluffy ball.

Jolene was born with a birth defect known as perosis, where the tendon on her left leg slowly pulled her foot to the side as she grew. With daily physical therapy and other tools, Jolene was eventually able to hop around using one leg, and was a sweet and happy bird all her life.

We are grateful to Jolene for teaching us how to speak to children about disability, and for inspiring this book about how each of us is different, unique, and beautiful.