Hatching for education?

[MrsFordTN]

I have a couple quick questions about hatching eggs for education.

I am a local teacher in East TN, but not your normal 7-4 classroom kind. I home school special needs kids and a few other children though our home and I do visit their homes. The kids range from 7 to 15 years old. Here at my home, we have a small "pet based" farm, meaning everything has a name and a forever home....

Being close to the city, a lot of the kids had never seen farm animals or been able to interact with them. So with parent permission, We have been letting the kids experience some small stuff like feeding the chickens, petting our local farm goat, seeing our new rabbit kits in the nest box, just small wonders in my opinion. We already had a pet flock of chickens, a couple different breeds, that are yard birds but about a week ago I had a student ask how chickens were born. I tried to explain as best as I could, but then my husband had the idea of hatching out some babies so they kids can learn about it. We bought a small do it your self incubator and my grandfather gave us some eggs (I think... 7 OEG bantam silver duck wing, 5 Leghorn, 6 Green Eggs [can't remember the name off hand], and one pink-ish mystery egg, we have also added one from our local girl a game and any of our roosters could be dad).

My questions are pros/cons of doing this for the kids, helpful hints, dos/don'ts, etc? Don't get me wrong, I have don't research, but there are things you learn from experience rather then a page full of info.

Note: We have been letting the incubator warm up and settle on the right temp. and we have marked all the eggs, x on one side and o on the other, as we are hand turning them. Also, any hatched chicks will be donated to local 4H minus the mixed chicks, they will stay with us.

 

[7L Farm]

I doubt you will get to many cons here. These folks from what I've read they can't do math worth a hoot & they raise their chickens in the house they live in. I even think they sleep in their bed with them because I saw an egg that was layed on someones bed. No all kidding aside its a great idea to let children witness a life being created & the joys of raising animals. Its a learning experience that will last a life time.

 

[MrsFordTN]

My only fears are kids not wanting to let the chicks go, so I am already looking at another incubator and more eggs (hubby wants some ducks) so they hatch later. Or chicks dying, I know its a part of life, but I don't think some of the kids would understand.

I am super excited also, btw, I have had baby chicks, but never ever raised them from eggs! I always ordered day old chicks or picked up some week old ones from the flea market. I was a 4H kid, but I have raised rabbits for my whole life, I know nothing about birthing no chickens... haha My mother-in-law is the chicken/bird queen. She is a world of info, but I don't want to depend on her, even if I have some questions. She is excited about raise chicks again too, they sold everything a few years ago, before I met Kevin due to her health.

Oh and the incubator is setting on my counter in the kitchen.

Anyway sorry for the ramble!

Oh does anyone know what a game/silkie would look like? Our yard bird egg I put in is exciting. She is a a Game of some kind (think hubby said bb red) but we have a few roosters out and about with her, including my little silkie (which my husband hates) named Muffin. I keep picking at him about a game/silkie baby. He doesn't think it's too funny.

 

[TinyLittleFarm]

I think it's a wonderful idea. My daughter is 12 and has special needs. She functions at a 5-6 year old level. She really loves the baby chickens. She has a lot of sensory issues and it took her quite a while to be brave enough to hold a baby chick (which a HUGE amount of supervision of course!). She named one hen out of our first flock that we raised from babies (Carrot) and she named another from the babies we got this year (Buster).

She thinks of these two as her chickens and having two to focus on helps her feel connected and make observations and stuff like that.

The kids will love it.

 

[MrsFordTN]

We have been practicing with my Silkie about handling, being gentle, etc. making sure they kids know it's a living thing and we have to respect it. I am hoping a few of the parents (one has already started talking about it) sign up maybe to take a few hens home for just egg layers. Kevin offered his coop building skills if needed to get them started. We have a new law here, well in the city where most the kids are from, about being able to keep chickens within the city limits. No roosters are allowed, but hens can be kept with no problems. Maybe this would help focusing at home. We are doing this as a reward. Since letting the kids help out around here with the animals, only after all work is done, it has improved scores, nothing crazy, but improvement is improvement!


Quick question: Egg Turning? How often and When to do it?

 

[MrsFordTN]

Also, is there a different temp for sexes of the chicks? Like more hens at one temp and more roosters at another temp?

 

[7L Farm]

Quote:
Turn them atleast 3 times a day. Morning, noon,night