From the freshwater lakes of Wisconsin to the coral reefs of the Red Sea, PADI Chicken Divers are a fun-loving flock who are serious about their scuba skills.

“The chicken sparks creativity, light-hearted competition and positivity all around the world,” says Cassandra Johnson, author of the PADI Chicken Diver Distinctive Specialty and co-owner of Breezeway Bubbles Scuba in Verona, Wisconsin.

As it turns out, a rubber chicken is an excellent tool for buoyancy practice, underwater photography and other diving activities. The course includes a variety of underwater games designed to help divers fine-tune their abilities.

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“Chicken Tag teaches divers how to approach a reef or other fragile marine environment without crashing into it or stirring up silt,” Johnson says. “Games like the Hovering Hula Hoop and Kiss the Weight help divers get better at hovering—at safety stops or when taking photos or video.”

Divers have the opportunity to practice Chicken Tag and other challenges in the pool before making two open water dives with their poultry pal. Open water activities include filming or photographing the chicken without touching the reef and navigating an underwater obstacle course.

“It might seem like just a silly specialty,” Johnson says. “But I’ve seen experienced divers challenged and shy divers become confident.”

Part of the inspiration for the PADI Chicken Diver course came from Barb and Terry Spennetta, the original owners of Breezeway Bubbles. “Barb and Terry always traveled with a kids toy, a sea turtle, for example. People would secretly put the toy on you while diving, like a game of tag. Everyone joked that the last person with the sea turtle had to buy drinks for everyone on the boat,” Johnson says.

“After my husband, Don, and I took over Breezeway Bubbles Scuba, we led a trip to Thailand, where the liveaboard captain held up a rubber chicken and declared, ‘This is the Chicken of Shame! You do not want to be awarded this chicken as it is a symbol of wrongdoing,’” Johnson says.

The traveling divers embraced the Chicken of Shame, using it for games of underwater tag and countless photos. After the trip, Johnson’s staff bought her some rubber chickens as a surprise gift and suggested she create a PADI distinctive specialty. The course officially hatched in 2020 and was an immediate hit.

For Johnson and the Breezeway Bubbles Scuba family, the chickens have become ambassadors of fun and symbols of diving excellence.

“I’ve lost count of how many times we’ve been traveling and a crew member has fallen in love with our chickens. We’ve left chickens behind and shipped chickens to almost every destination we’ve traveled to since I created the specialty,” Johnson says. “In Bonaire, one guide holds the record for the number of chickens we put on one person: eight!”

The PADI Chicken Diver Distinctive Specialty course is open to certified divers 12 and older. Rubber chickens are provided and certified Chicken Divers receive a special Chicken Diver T-shirt. Visit breezewaybubbles.com for more information or to reserve a spot in the next Chicken Diver Distinctive Specialty course.

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Best Time of Year to Become a Chicken Diver

PADI Chicken Diver Distinctive Specialty is offered year-round in Verona, Wisconsin (a suburb of Madison), and on Breezeway Bubbles’ dive trips throughout the year.

» This column features unique scuba courses at PADI Dive Shops around the world. To recommend a course for this column, please email edit@padi.com.