Help Ducks at school

[LadyIsadora]

How are the kids supposed to learn if they are not exposed to these things.
I agree, there is always hazard. And minimizing the dangers should be of great concern. But children need to learn, hands on. If there is damage or losses, that is an extremely valuable lesson too. One, in fact, that we try to shield our children from all together too often.
Life is a hazard, these are the things we need to learn. We cannot be too scared to live, to grow to experience.
I think its a great project .

 

[Buck Oakes]

or losses could scar a child forever... u know a baby duck dying in their hands. Yeah like that wouldn't make a child feel awful. SO sorry i expressed my opinion, it has it's ups and down but like in MY OPINION I would say no

 

[Vosh Sahaal]

The school has already decided they want the program, our personal beliefs are now irrelevant. The intent of this thread is to attempt to optimize the breed selection. If your child attends this school and has imortal family, friends, and pets feel free to take it up with the school board. In the mean time the rest of us shall attempt to be helpful.

Additional supporting arguments for the Rouen is that they are hardy and durable. The odds of them being accidentally injured are pretty low compared to some others. Also they mature a little slower than other production breeds reducing the chance of nutrition based malformity. The only issue I've had was mild angel wing that was fixed in a week with some masking tape.

 

[Buck Oakes]

i never said it was my decision i said i wouldn't so...

i don't really care this doesn't concern me

 

[NatureChica]

My children are small. 6 and 4 and being raised with birds does not scar you for life. It encourages postive behaviors, responsibility, and enjoyment. Life can not have bumper pads and safety gates put on everything. How else do we learn to cope with grief and have true joy if we live our lives sheltered from everything?
My kids have dealt with the deaths of 6 chicks (I had to cull one myself) and several dozen eggs not hatching. Do you know what they will tell you? My 6 year old will say it's sad but it happens and my 4 year old says the birds weren't healthy enough to survive. We are all glad when they don't suffer. This is how I'm raising my kids and I believe to each their own. When I see a school step up to bring more than just the standard boring topics to children's lives and actually plan to enrich their lives through animal interaction and observation it does my heart good. In today's world we need more schools like that. thanks for sharing this topic @farmincity.
I recommend doing a pro/con list for each breed. The nervous breeds are out for me because I like to interact with them. My kids are super good with animals so I make sure to get birds that are friendly with people. Raising them from chicks is probably the way to go. Eggs are hard to hatch. It would be a good project if you get a local farmer willing to donate eggs just to hatch and then give them the chicks or ducks back to raise if your school already has their own ducks....

 

[LadyIsadora]

Well put NatureChica. I did not mean to attack Buck Oakes. I was hoping that you would see logic in teaching children animal husbandry; the good and the bad are both imorotant for balanced development. Your opinion is your own, you stated it, I offered an alternative vies. Sorry if you felt attacked for that.

 

[Buck Oakes]

Okay I don't care

 

[needlessjunk]

I also agree that with supervision this is a great program! I have young children 2 & 4 and they know how to handle our ducks and chickens better than most adults. It is a wonderful experience and really helps children learn to be gentle and caring. However there does need to be supervision and since the school is asking for the program they are taking responsibility.

I think Pekin or Rouens would be the best bet. Larger ducks are hardier and I think would be ideal. They are easier to hatch as well and easier to find as ducklings. I got mine as day olds and they grew up with lots of noise and running kids and are super friendly. I have runners, welsh harlequin, Cayuga and a white layer. I've had Perkins and a crested and they did well with the kids as well. Something else to consider if hatching is what will happen if you get the wrong ratios of male to female.

 

[NatureChica]

Great point! I start out with a couple and whittle their numbers down to an acceptable ratio. I had 5 males to 2 females and 5 males to 4 females with my chickens. My kids know the extras are going in the roaster but for your students at the school you could send the extras back to a farmer. I'd make an agreement that extra males could be returned...?

 

[NatureChica]

Or you could try and find some that are autosexed...