Ambassadors for the farm

[centrarchid]

We repeated this again with some modifications. I brought only a gamecock (Rollo) and a student brought three dual purpose hens. Number of participants not officially determined but my rough estimate is more than a thousand and most experienced the chickens. The location used was not made known to us the day before so we where rushed getting setup and my students hens were released immediately upon arrival. Rollo had about 45 minutes of free-range roaming time to get used to location before kids started coming through but hens at most 15 minutes as student was hesitant to follow my direction. upon release the hens promptly walked off and dd not even stay together. They were retrieved, multiple times, before we decided they would be confined except when handled. Before first kids came through I had a meeting on campus that kept me away from situation for about 1.5 hours. When I got back I could see from a distance that student was lining up kids in groups to ten to fifteen giving each a mealworm. Rollo then walked down line taking mealworms from kids hands. Student repeated this process at least three times as I approached so my estimate was Rollo had already eaten a lot of mealworms. When I got there his cropped was clearly distended. After another 10 minutes Rollo walked looking for water and would not return to display area. I had to police him for display in hand the rest of day. Apparently 500 mealworms represents crop-fill for Rollo. We had two birds held for two lines of kids. All worked very well and student proved to be extremely capable. She will be groomed to replace me with some events until she graduates and we may me able to come up with some other methods.

 

[centrarchid]

I do not know if anyone has actual interest in this stuff but will continue as it may prove usuefull as a future resource for those engaged in outreach.

My outreach efforts involve other farm raised critters as well. Below is a key player for aquaculture and natural resources in general.


The Northern or Virile Crayfish Orconectes virilis. This dandy momma has a carapace length of 63 mm which makes her among the largest if her kind I have ever seen. Her kind in a pond setting grows every bit as large as the economically important Red Swamp Crawfish and White River Crawfish. Still, two other species get a lot bigger than than what is shown here.

Later I will show fun students has chasing a swarm of honey bees.

 

[centrarchid]

Here is where we used a swarm of honeybees to explain how colonies reproduce. Students were high school level.

When swarm first noticed, scout bees already indicating new hive location. Swarm launched and we walked with it for a little over a hundred yards before crossing a reservoir. Students were able to smell pheromone produced by swarm. I chased swarm almost 1/2 mile on foot but lost it when crossing river.

 

[centrarchid]

Most recent efforts using chickens as educational tools. Lesson learned is linoleum is easy to clean but very hard for chickens to walk on.

 

[memphis]

Cool!

 

[centrarchid]

On Thursday and Friday of this week I attended agriculture related functions at high schools where we try to recruit students to our university. The goal is to excite students about our program and arrange for them to visit our campus and / or obtain an application package. First we have to get them to our table, then get them to engage by talking about their career interest, and then swing conversation over to process of applying. Most organizations attempting similar have a hard time getting kids to approach table and even more have a hard time getting them to engage. We employ a very effective range of props that attract students from a distance and can also provide learning moments. Props include fish cages, beekeeping equipment, crocodilian skulls (big ones), aquatic animals requiring a lot of handling, and a harem of free-ranging chickens that run all over the place but center activities on our display table. Others have birds but have them penned. The penned birds receive much less attention than our free-ranging birds as the latter come to the students when called and interact with. I can educate the kids on chickens then direct them to the table where we have even more interesting stuff to learn about which they usually eager to inspect. All parties agree those chickens are a very important part of our success.

A challenge arose on both of these days that proved a bit scary. Some of the kids bring dogs on a leash or even not on a leash. The first day had two dogs; a young Husky on a leash and a old Great Pyrenees x Blue Heeler allowed to roam. Latter was poultry and generally animal safe while the Husky clearly had inclinations to be problematic. The girl with the Husky was doing everything right for initiating the training process but was too early in it to be around my birds. I had to spend time warning student with Husky off and watching for her location for the entire 4 hours of the event. The second days was they scary event. Several kids where passing back and forth the job of restraining an elderly chocolate Lab that was interested in the penned birds and mine. I had to remind them to stay away with dog and one kid seemed not happy about the position I had. When his turn for dog came up he walked directly to our core display area causing juvenile chickens to retreat to cover of our truck. Rooster was tied by a 10 foot rope to a pet carrier and a hen was in the carrier. The rooster retreated as far as he could and froze making no sound while hen in carrier began to cackle. Dog then attacked carrier with student looking on making no effort to restrain dog. I was there in less than 5 seconds instructing student to remove dog and was fully prepared to takeover managing the dog from him which student appeared to realize by tone of my voice. Others, including other students, instructed him to do same. He then moved off but seemed agitated. Someone else took over managing dog for balance of event but I was very much concerned about the continued threat it represented. The role of that one kid was also questionable. For future events I will have to be more up front about keeping threats away from birds. Pen another group birds were contained in by another party would not have stopped dog and likely would have resulted on losses.

 

[scottcaddy]

Could it be that the 'one' kid wanted to see if the dog would make feathers fly, or even kill a bird?
I would hope not but, it looks that way to me.
Scott

 

[centrarchid]

My ambassadors are enjoying the off season somewhat. One of my hens (actually an 8 month old pullet) came back into lay and is brooding a clutch outside my preferred season for doing such. The five juveniles also got to mug me for some mealworms but it came at a cost. My daughter of 16 months imposed the cost. We sat down together when daughter snatched up a half grown cockerel and started running with it. Based on her effort she could have restrained a full grown rooster just as well. My daughter clearly exhibited predatory behavior that seems innate and would have resulted in death of cockerel if I did not intervene. She choked him so badly he could not walk for a few seconds after I pried him from her hands. My kids have a lot more familiarity with such animals than most so hopefully this will prove not a repeat deal involving public. So far literally thousands of kids have handled my birds but only my kids to the snatch and run so far.

 

[scottcaddy]

My ambassadors are enjoying the off season somewhat. One of my hens (actually an 8 month old pullet) came back into lay and is brooding a clutch outside my preferred season for doing such. The five juveniles also got to mug me for some mealworms but it came at a cost. My daughter of 16 months imposed the cost. We sat down together when daughter snatched up a half grown cockerel and started running with it. Based on her effort she could have restrained a full grown rooster just as well. My daughter clearly exhibited predatory behavior that seems innate and would have resulted in death of cockerel if I did not intervene. She choked him so badly he could not walk for a few seconds after I pried him from her hands. My kids have a lot more familiarity with such animals than most so hopefully this will prove not a repeat deal involving public. So far literally thousands of kids have handled my birds but only my kids to the snatch and run so far.

Didn't your son also do the same snatch and run thing at about the same age?
Good luck with your birds and children!

Scott

 

[centrarchid]

Yes, he did. Most kids do not seem so inclined. Many freeze up or get scared while mine get a wild look in their eyes and strike. Rollo the gamecock ambassador sees the look in daughter's eyes and gives her a wide berth.