Hatching in Classrooms

[CharterChick]

I wanted to start a thread for people who might be hatching eggs in a classroom setting. Maybe to trade ideas, experiences, mistakes and of course successes! I look forward to reading any stories of anyone's classroom hatches!

This is my first time hatching chickens in a classroom. I am setting up eggs in our local head start preschool for ages 3-5 years old. I am using a Hovabator Genesis 1588 with an egg turner and plan to use the dry hatch method. I am hatching barnyard mixes from 3 flocks and some bantam cochins. I made a countdown chart, cutout chick hatching project, and chicken journal for the kids to learn about chickens, eggs, incubators, candling and hatching.


The Journal/Coloring Book

https://www.backyardchickens.com/a/chicken-coloring-book-for-preschoolers


I haven't set the eggs yet. Right now the incubator is sitting empty in the classroom so they get used to it and learn not to touch it. I have talked to the kids and answered the major questions they had. The biggest one was "When will they(eggs) turn into chickens?" When I said 21 days they asked if I could do it in 5 days!

My favorite question was "Can I sit on an egg at home and make a chicken?" Love teaching the little ones about chickens! It's so much fun!

I am going to try to fill the incubator (42 eggs) and I will number the eggs. The kids can pick a number and follow the progress with their journal. If their egg quits there will (hopefully) be enough eggs to switch their egg to a developing one. When I candle the eggs I plan on candling the numbers the children pick with each child so they can see what their eggs look like as they grow. The last 2 pages are for the child to guess the color of the chick and then color in the color the chick is when it hatches.

 

[CharterChick]

The test batch for the new incubator DH got for the class is starting to hatch at home. 9/10 made it to lockdown. There are 3 pips and LOTS of chirping! I pick up eggs from a localish byc er Sunday for the class hatch.

 

[davemonkey]

Good luck with the project, and great work on the coloring book. I like the "Let's make a Chick Hatching" cut-outs.

One trick I learned with the Hovabator is that if you do monitor humidity, and find it getting too low, but don't want to open the incubator: you can make a water tube out of straws (regular drinking straws, or even some refrigerator water line if you have some, or whatever you can find handy) and stick that through the air hole on top, between the egg turner trays, and down to one of the water pan sections. Then slice the receiving end of your straw/tube/etc... to recieve a syringe tip or very small funnel, etc...and slowly pour a cup of water or so down in there. You'll get a humidity spike for a day, then it will gradually fall off and you can repeat as desired. But if you are in a really humid area (climatically) you probably won't have to worry about this.

OR, you can place a sponge in one of the egg cells (instead of an egg) and wet that as needed. OR you could fill a water cell completely full of water, then cover it with plastic wrap completely...except for a small sliver of space that contacts the air. That will allow for a controlled evaporation rate.

 

[CharterChick]

Good luck with the project, and great work on the coloring book.  I like the "Let's make a Chick Hatching" cut-outs. 

One trick I learned with the Hovabator is that if you do monitor humidity, and find it getting too low, but don't want to open the incubator:  you can make a water tube out of straws (regular drinking straws, or even some refrigerator water line if you have some, or whatever you can find handy) and stick that through the air hole on top, between the egg turner trays, and down to one of the water pan sections.  Then slice the receiving end of your straw/tube/etc... to recieve a syringe tip or very small funnel, etc...and slowly pour a cup of water or so down in there.  You'll get a humidity spike for a day, then it will gradually fall off and you can repeat as desired.  But if you are in a really humid area (climatically) you probably won't have to worry about this.

OR, you can place a sponge in one of the egg cells (instead of an egg) and wet that as needed.   OR you could fill a water cell completely full of water, then cover it with plastic wrap completely...except for a small sliver of space that contacts the air.  That will allow for a controlled evaporation rate.

I use the straw method very high tech! Lol

I do like the plastic wrap idea...

 

[CharterChick]

I received the bantam Cochin eggs! So excited they are all in one piece and only a few detached air cells that I can see. I only ordered 18 but she sent 24 eggs! 3 are labeled buttercup. I have to look that one up. I love surprises.

Edited to say I got the eggs from Luckypickens on ebay AMAZING SELLER!

 

[Espresso]

Can I sit on the egg at home. Haha. Brilliant. Good luck.

 

[CharterChick]

Can I sit on the egg at home. Haha. Brilliant. Good luck.

I'm glad we cleared this one up before any messes were made! Lol

 

[Aphrael]

I think that hatching eggs with the kids is such a fun and wonderful learning experience. I know you'll all have a great time and they will learn a lot. Really love the coloring book journal idea as well. Great job!

Hope you have a wonderful hatch.

 

[CharterChick]

SOOO EXCITED! We are setting these BEAUTIFUL EGGS tomorrow! 48 total!

 

[Aphrael]

Ooooooo. Those are lovely, especially those marans ones.