Incubators Anonymous

[calichicken]

I know right?? Best part is, she turned out to be a really nice lady and told me anytime I want more of her eggs to just text her and if she has some I can swing by and get them!

Chicken people are awesome ^.^

YES...chicken people are the BEST!!!

 

[ChickyChickens]

YES...chicken people are the BEST!!!

X2!!

 

[Faraday40]

YES...chicken people are the BEST!!!

X3!!

I got my 1st chickens (as eggs) for free. Mixed breeds, but at the time I wasn't planning on keeping the classroom chicks. Before that, I always bought Leghorn eggs, & the chicks were skittish - not to mention dusty after 2-3 weeks. The mutts were surprisingly friendly, calm & docile....... so our chicken adventures began. Now we have a variety of breeds & some mixes. I always make sure to pass along some donated fertile eggs to our local classrooms.

Also, back when we were considering keeping the chicks, we were encouraged to visit others who had urban flocks. Everyone was so helpful to show off their coops and answer questions. It was funny to drive into the city to see chickens, but the laws are less restrictive in the city of Chicago than owning poultry out in the suburbs.

 

[Sustained]

X3!!

I got my 1st chickens (as eggs) for free. Mixed breeds, but at the time I wasn't planning on keeping the classroom chicks. Before that, I always bought Leghorn eggs, & the chicks were skittish - not to mention dusty after 2-3 weeks. The mutts were surprisingly friendly, calm & docile....... so our chicken adventures began. Now we have a variety of breeds & some mixes. I always make sure to pass along some donated fertile eggs to our local classrooms.

Also, back when we were considering keeping the chicks, we were encouraged to visit others who had urban flocks. Everyone was so helpful to show off their coops and answer questions. It was funny to drive into the city to see chickens, but the laws are less restrictive in the city of Chicago than owning poultry out in the suburbs.

I didn't get to do anything neat like hatch eggs in a classroom back when I was in school. I love the stories about classroom hatches.

 

[ChickyChickens]

I didn't get to do anything neat like hatch eggs in a classroom back when I was in school. I love the stories about classroom hatches.

Same here!! I'm still in school and they never ever do classroom hatches!! It would be so awesome to see chicks hatch...at school!!!

 

[Faraday40]

For the teacher it's a great deal b/c the kids are always willing to care for the chicks. I just send home permission slips to make sure no allergies & have a box to check if they want to handle the chicks & do brooder cleaning. Those middle school kids would actually come early to school to help out in the lab. I then could slip in a study/ review session while they washed the glassware, cleaned the chicks, fed the iguana, etc. Tricky I know, but one has to be when working with kids that age.

 

[ChickyChickens]

For the teacher it's a great deal b/c the kids are always willing to care for the chicks. I just send home permission slips to make sure no allergies & have a box to check if they want to handle the chicks & do brooder cleaning. Those middle school kids would actually come early to school to help out in the lab. I then could slip in a study/ review session while they washed the glassware, cleaned the chicks, fed the iguana, etc. Tricky I know, but one has to be when working with kids that age.

LOL! It would be sooo awesome if all schools did that...had pets at labs...

 

[Faraday40]

LOL! It would be sooo awesome if all schools did that...had pets at labs...

Allergies are main reason why most schools do not. I've always had reptiles, fish, insects, & plants in the lab. No chance for allergies. If a child may have mild allergies, I ask the family if sitting across the room from the chicks would be manageable. If I get a child with severe allergies, I may simply hatch the eggs & skip keeping the chicks in the classroom or incubate reptile eggs instead.

My science lab was always used as a pet disposal. Often kids get tired of their pet, so they "donate" it to the school. (It always ends up in the science wing....) If a student helper starts bonding with a particular animal, the parents get a call from me asking if they're up for an adoption or pet sitting over the summer. I couldn't take cute, furry critters, but all kinds of unique reptiles & insects found their way to me. One of my favs was a 5' green iguana, named Newton. I had her for over 15 years.

 

[CharterChick]

I am currently hatching in a preschool I started a hatching thread for classrooms. Right now it's just me but I'm sure come spring there will be more teachers doing it lol

 

[TeaChick]

Awww...so sorry about your shipped eggs...man shipped eggs can be so difficult

So lucky you have eggs of your own as well

...wish I did, but no Roos allowed where I live

good luck with your eggs

Thanks! =)

Shipped eggs are a gamble. I've gotten anywhere from ZERO hatch to over 90%. But usually around 30-40%.

over 90%????

I wish. I'll have to get my next eggs shipped from closer than the opposite corner of the country and get them marked "Fragile Scientific Materials" (do not x-ray, do not tip, etc.) lol Maybe then I can get at least one to hatch that way.