Chicks for Schools?

[AtticusMama]

That sounds like a good plan! I was thinking it would be a lot more difficult to find a taker for the possible roosters...no idea people were looking for free ones! Thanks for all your help!

 

[jennyf]

They start laying around 5-6 months. For reference on size, these are mine at just 11 weeks. I have a feeling nobody would be very happy with chickens in a classroom at six months. Not the students who have to scoop poop, nor your custodial staff, nor the chickens.

 

[AtticusMama]

They start laying around 5-6 months. For reference on size, these are mine at just 11 weeks. I have a feeling nobody would be very happy with chickens in a classroom at six months. Not the students who have to scoop poop, nor your custodial staff, nor the chickens.

Oh my! We had bounced around the idea of building an outdoor coop near our outdoor learning center if we kept the chicks for the whole school year...now I see we would definitely need that! If we were to do that, how difficult is it to keep them alive and healthy for a whole school year?

Or would it probably just be easier to have this project be in the last quarter so the kids could watch the chicks hatch and then send them away as soon as school got out (around 4-6 weeks after hatching)?

 

[jennyf]

The timing on that might actually work--they could spend the initial time setting up the incubator and brooder, researching breeds and availability and chicken care. Seems like many hatcheries start with eggs in late winter (Feb ish) so chicks be ready to go just when they started outgrowing the brooder. Oh! Shipped eggs sometimes don't have a great hatch rate b/c they get bounced around by the postal service. If you could find someone local who would sell you fertilized eggs, might be better. And another student research project, ha!

 

[AtticusMama]

Oh, that's an awesome idea! We're completely redoing lesson plans this year, so that's a great idea to incorporate! I know some of the local feed stores sell chicks...not so sure about the eggs, but that's definitely something the kids could look into

Thank you so much for all of this info! I think starting in the second semester is definitely a much better idea - easier on the students and on me haha

 

[dekel18042]

Oh, that's an awesome idea! We're completely redoing lesson plans this year, so that's a great idea to incorporate! I know some of the local feed stores sell chicks...not so sure about the eggs, but that's definitely something the kids could look into

Thank you so much for all of this info! I think starting in the second semester is definitely a much better idea - easier on the students and on me haha

If there is an active 4-H or FFA in your area you might want to talk to them. Some of them raise chickens for meat. eggs and to sell and they might be able to supply fertilized eggs or give you info on what sells or is popular in your area. What we like here in the cold Northeast is probably a far cry as to what people want in hot Texas.

 

[AtticusMama]

If there is an active 4-H or FFA in your area you might want to talk to them. Some of them raise chickens for meat. eggs and to sell and they might be able to supply fertilized eggs or give you info on what sells or is popular in your area. What we like here in the cold Northeast is probably a far cry as to what people want in hot Texas.

Oh, that's a great idea! And a great way to involve the 4-H kids too (we have a few in next year's class). Thanks!!