Should I Hatch Quail in the Classroom???

[quailheart]

So I am a 7th grade teacher and this year we are learning about life cycles, and life science. I had everyone write down something they would love to do this year in science class and pretty much everyone said they wanted to do something with animals. I had a great idea and I wanted to know what you all thought about it. So I have 5 bobwhites, and this coming Spring we are going to be hatching a variety of coturnix quail at my house. I thought that it would be really cool for my class to see the quail hatch. I would incubate them at school, and keep them at school for a week or two and then bring them back to my house. This would be my third time hatching quail, so I think I'm good on all that. A few years ago I was a third grade teacher and we were thinking about hatching chickens in my class, but we ended up not doing it after I did some research on it. Every website said that it was inhumane to hatch chicks at school, and that after we returned them to the company they would be killed. But I know that's definitely not going to happen with my quail. The only thing I'm not sure about is what am I going to do on the weekends and after school? Am I going to have to go up to school every evening to check on the incubator? What if they hatch while I'm gone? I'm sure someone has experience doing something like this. If this doesn't work out, I could always hatch them at my house and bring them to school when they are chicks. Thanks everyone!

 

[Chookwagn]

great idea!

 

[Flockincrazy]

So I am a 7th grade teacher and this year we are learning about life cycles, and life science. I had everyone write down something they would love to do this year in science class and pretty much everyone said they wanted to do something with animals. I had a great idea and I wanted to know what you all thought about it. So I have 5 bobwhites, and this coming Spring we are going to be hatching a variety of coturnix quail at my house. I thought that it would be really cool for my class to see the quail hatch. I would incubate them at school, and keep them at school for a week or two and then bring them back to my house. This would be my third time hatching quail, so I think I'm good on all that. A few years ago I was a third grade teacher and we were thinking about hatching chickens in my class, but we ended up not doing it after I did some research on it. Every website said that it was inhumane to hatch chicks at school, and that after we returned them to the company they would be killed. But I know that's definitely not going to happen with my quail. The only thing I'm not sure about is what am I going to do on the weekends and after school? Am I going to have to go up to school every evening to check on the incubator? What if they hatch while I'm gone? I'm sure someone has experience doing something like this. If this doesn't work out, I could always hatch them at my house and bring them to school when they are chicks. Thanks everyone!

You can hatch them at school live stream them when it gets close to hatch time so you can see them from home

 

[quailheart]

Ok. So you think I should hatch them at home and bring them to school as chicks?

 

[Flockincrazy]

Ok. So you think I should hatch them at home and bring them to school as chicks?

No hatch them at school they can stay in the incubater for 72hrs after hatching

 

[quailheart]

Ok. Thanks for the advice!

 

[cheepteach]

I got started with chickens hatching them in my 7th grade class. Local ag council had incubators to borrow and a newbie class to attend. It was great. Naysayers were worried about trauma if a chick didn't hatch/had birth defects. Before the hatch date, the class had done research including worse case scenarios. all around the start of a yearly project until I retired

 

[BirdsBeesTrees]

Quail chicks can not stay in the incubator longer than 24 hours and I wouldn't even do 12. Just make sure the hatch will be due on a Tuesday. Some will hatch Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday. You could put a big enough feeder and waterer that they would have food and water over the weekend, or just get a pet carrier and take them home.

 

[quailheart]

Ok. Thanks so much! The advice was very helpful. : )