I'm bringing my chicks into SCHOOL!!! AAAHHH!!!

[wings]

I am going to be getting six or seven more chicks in the spring. I am in seventh grade, and my biology teacher wants me to bring them into school for a whole day (six hours). When there are no classes going, there is a free room that I could put them in to get a little rest.

I AM SOOOOOO EXCITED! This means I get to show off my fuzzbutts to everyone in school!!! How awesome is that???

The problem is, I am worried about my future babies. I have some questions and I NEED reassurance.

1. Is this a wacko idea? Should I not bring them in? Will it hurt them?

I know that some people hatch chicks in classrooms, and they don't have any problems.

2. Will my babies catch any diseases from human exposure? Or am I just being waaaay to overprotective?

3. If there is a risk, is there anything I can give them to boost their immune systems? I have heard yogurt is good, but won't that give them pasty butts?

4. Most of the kids in my grade are 12 or 13. Do I need to give them a talk on being nice to my chickies, or are they smarter than that? I know chicks are heartier than we give them credit for, but still...

I will be awaiting any answers. Even if you have just a quick idea or suggestion, anything is WELCOME!!!

 

[NicInNC]

I'm still kind of a newbie to all this, so I don't feel like I can answer all your questions, but I can answer this one:

Most of the kids in my grade are 12 or 13. Do I need to give them a talk on being nice to my chickies, or are they smarter than that? I know chicks are heartier than we give them credit for, but still...

YES. You need to explain how fragile they are and show them the proper way to hold them. My oldest daughter is 11 and she has a few friends that I would let near any baby chicks with a 10 foot pole! They just don't understand that baby animals can be fragile.​

 

[hinky toes]

Hey wings!

I brought 4 chicks to my daughter's kindergarten class last spring for "show and tell". It only lasted about 20 minutes, not 6 hours as in your case, but they all survived the little hands and loud laughs.

Here are my thoughts to your questions:

1) 6 hours may be a bit too long outside of the brooder box. Remember they need to be kept fairly warm. I'm not sure if you have a plan to cover that important need while you are at school.

2) It's unlikely they'll catch a disease while they're out and about.

3) Chicks get pasty butt no matter what you feed them. Just deal with it quickly and gently. I'm not sure if yogurt will boost them up sufficiently anyway.

4) If you bring them you absolutely need to give your classmates the talk about handling, etc. Those chicks are pretty fragile and probably shouldn't be over handled, dropped, squished, etc.

Hope that helps. Good luck and have fun!

 

[crazychicken]

Quote:
um I am in 8th grade and YEAH !!!! Absolutely no way would any of my er "classmates" be allowed to go anywhere near my babies with out my constant supervision. and some of them would not be allowed to touch them even if I were standing right there.

Pick them up show them this is how you do it.
tell them plain and clearly *coughs slowly cough cough* the do's and dont's
have them wash their hands before and after they handle the birds.
and absolutely do not let anyone touch them with out you and your teacher right there.
Do not have them all come up at once have one person per chick come up so you can watch and oversee them.

 

[ThePolishPrincess]

I wish my teacher would let us do that. Sadly, the only reason I'd be able to bring them into Bio is to disect them.

No way they'd suggest I do that to my babies!

Stress it hard that they are still 'newborns', no matter the species. That means constant reminders. Kids in my class are a few years older and I know a few people in my school that have the attention span of...well, a chicken!

May sound childish, but give fair warning BEFORE distributing the chicks. Put weight on the rules and make sure they here it all.

And more so, have fun! You have no idea how much I envy you the opprotunity. Remind the teacher that no one is to have any such contact with the chicks in that other room while you aren't present. They are still your babies. The other children and teachers are like the guests. You make the rules and they are lucky they have you to thank for giving them something to do and skip the day's lesson.

Sadly, that's what it's come to these days. I hope your class thinks otherwise.

Good luck!

 

[wings]

Quote:
YES. You need to explain how fragile they are and show them the proper way to hold them. My oldest daughter is 11 and she has a few friends that I would let near any baby chicks with a 10 foot pole! They just don't understand that baby animals can be fragile.

I guess I was underestimating the intelligence of the species know as the teenager. I think I might trust my 6-year-old sister's little friends more...

 

[wings]

Thanks for the advice, hinky toes!

Just so you know, I was planning on bringing them to school in their cardboard box brooder.

 

[wings]

Quote:
um I am in 8th grade and YEAH !!!! Absolutely no way would any of my er "classmates" be allowed to go anywhere near my babies with out my constant supervision. and some of them would not be allowed to touch them even if I were standing right there.

Pick them up show them this is how you do it.
tell them plain and clearly *coughs slowly cough cough* the do's and dont's
have them wash their hands before and after they handle the birds.
and absolutely do not let anyone touch them with out you and your teacher right there.
Do not have them all come up at once have one person per chick come up so you can watch and oversee them.

Sounds like a plan. I would NEVER let them go unsupervised. I think I can persuade my teachers to let me blow my other classes in order to watch over each handling of my babies. Also, I'll name them before I bring them in so they seem more innocent and baby like. I mean seriously! Who could say no to this: (Imagine a really pitiful voice and Bambi eyes.)

"Ms. Slater, is it okay if I leave your class for 15 minutes so I can help everyone out. The chicks are babies, so I need to make sure they're handled gently. I would be so upset if anything happened to my Gwendolyn. [sniffle! sniffle!]"

 

[wings]

Quote:
YOU MEAN I GET TO ORDER MY TEACHERS AROUND????

 

[NicInNC]

I guess I was underestimating the intelligence of the species know as the teenager. I think I might trust my 6-year-old sister's little friends more...

I didn't mean ALL teenagers! I hope I didn't offend you.

I have adult friends in their 30's and 40's that I wouldn't want holding my baby chicks.​