Game Time Chickens is what happens when a die-hard hockey fan finds emotional regulation with crochet hooks — and discovers the ultimate game-day companion.

In April 2024, I crocheted my first emotional support playoff chicken. I’d been making all kinds of projects, but the moment I landed on Oak and Marlowe’s famous “Mabel” chicken pattern — simple, adorable, and comforting — I knew it had game. As a lifelong Edmonton hockey fan, I also knew exactly when I needed emotional backup: playoffs.

Between roller coaster winning streaks, overtime nail-biters, and penalty kills that felt like hours, I needed a cool, calm, cosy little buddy to stop me from hitting the ceiling… especially with a sleeping baby in the house.

That first batch found homes through summer markets. The next year, after our run to Game 7, I added weighted pellets for extra sensory comfort — 97 grams, to be exact. Coincidence? Hockey fans never think so.

Then, one night between periods of the Edmonton v. LA series, I posted the story behind the chickens to my 16 TikTok followers. The next 8 weeks? TV spots, radio interviews, news articles, and a flood of orders from across Canada (and even overseas). With a toddler at home and a full-time job, I cobbled together systems, recruited local crafters, and somehow delivered nearly 2,000 chickens to hockey fans everywhere.

But beyond the sheer volume, it was the people that stuck with me — fans who shared stories, cheered me on, and reminded me why hockey means so much here in Canada. I realised I wanted more: more connection, more joy, more ways to support local makers and spread positivity.

That’s why Game Time Chickens exists — to chase something bigger together. To give fans something to hold onto during the highs, the lows, and the OTs. And to prove that while any one person can do something good, it takes a whole team to pull off something extraordinary.

Welcome to the flock. Your seat’s on the bench — and there’s a chicken with your name on it.