Join me on my Classroom Hatch-A-Long, support and advice appreciated!

[junior67]

I have to take the eggs to the closet to candle I think. I have a huge walk-in closet where the kids hang their coats. The outlets are not near there, so I’ll have to bring the eggs back and forth. Was thinking of putting all of them in a clean carton, closing the incubator, candling with the kids (they can all fit in the space, it really is huge), and then carrying the carton back to return all the eggs. Is that too complicated? Otherwise I have to candle in the room, and there are lots of windows so it would be hard to block out light.

if you think you can do it without shaking them around to much than do that. I am not sure what other teachers do since most classrooms have lots of windows so that would make it hard and not like you can wait till it is dark since the kids aren't in the class then. hmmmmmm So ya if you have to do that then it may be better to do them in 2 batches. You can ask on the other NR360 thread too they may have some ideas there.

 

[junior67]

Maybe I’ll candle sitting on the floor and put a thick towel or blanket underneath the eggs and candler lol. I’m sure the kids wouldn’t mind sitting and crowding around to get a good view!

what grade do you teach? I swear you have said before but I dont' remember. What an amazing thing for them to experience! I grew up raising chickens and still remember (years upon years later........ like 40-45 probably) what it was like and being in awe of seeing them in the egg and watching them hatch! You will give them something they will probably never forget!

 

[Iluveggers]

what grade do you teach? I swear you have said before but I dont' remember. What an amazing thing for them to experience! I grew up raising chickens and still remember (years upon years later........ like 40-45 probably) what it was like and being in awe of seeing them in the egg and watching them hatch! You will give them something they will probably never forget!

Thank you! They are grade 5 & 6. They are already so invested & excited! Since it’s an urban setting, many of them have little to no experience with farm animals, so maybe l’ll inspire them to move out of the city when they get older and raise their own chickens!

 

[BirdsBeesTrees]

Maybe it would be too much work but... if you could get a large box and cover/paint the insides with something black then you could have your own mini dark room.
I take off the lid and candle them all at once.
Like it's been said eggs drop easily. It seems like they become extra slippery out of the incubator when they are warm. I wouldn't take them too far from the incubator.

 

[Poultrybonkers]

Thank you! They are grade 5 & 6. They are already so invested & excited! Since it’s an urban setting, many of them have little to no experience with farm animals, so maybe l’ll inspire them to move out of the city when they get older and raise their own chickens!

I was in 7th grade when we hatched chicks and once they hatched the teacher took them even after students asked to take them home myself included lol

 

[Iluveggers]

Maybe it would be too much work but... if you could get a large box and cover/paint the insides with something black then you could have your own mini dark room.
I take off the lid and candle them all at once.
Like it's been said eggs drop easily. It seems like they become extra slippery out of the incubator when they are warm. I wouldn't take them too far from the incubator.

That’s not a bad idea.

 

[DavidReaves]

If you do go to the dark storage room, maybe do it in two batches. With the eggs gently placed into a paper carton, carried by you to and from the incubator, with a soft & fluffy towel (or two) on a table with the candling light in storage. That's only opening the incubator 3 times total, and keeps a margin of safety-- more than huddling around on the floor or even in a dark box (which may make handling more difficult). Are the kids (and you) emotionally prepared for some of the eggs to not be fertile? I'm not sure I am prepared for my eggs to have non-viable eggs!

 

[Iluveggers]

If you do go to the dark storage room, maybe do it in two batches. With the eggs gently placed into a paper carton, carried by you to and from the incubator, with a soft & fluffy towel (or two) on a table with the candling light in storage. That's only opening the incubator 3 times total, and keeps a margin of safety-- more than huddling around on the floor or even in a dark box (which may make handling more difficult). Are the kids (and you) emotionally prepared for some of the eggs to not be fertile? I'm not sure I am prepared for my eggs to have non-viable eggs!

Thanks! Another great idea. This whole thing is trial and error this year!

I actually had a discussion with them and tried to make it as generic as possible. Something like this:

We know that some eggs will not hatch out chicks. If we don’t see any chick developing, it might get a weird smell so we will have to throw that one away. That could mean it had harmful bacteria inside that we want to keep away from our healthy eggs. Also, sometimes chicks will get all the way to the end of a hatch, but not be strong enough to hatch out. It will be sad, but not everything in nature turns out the way we wish it would.

One of the kids asked, if her egg didn’t make it, if she could do a little funeral or make something to honor it. I thought that was super sweet, so I might let the kids who want to make a card or picture for their chick if it doesn’t make it, and we can hang them next to the brooder box so they aren’t forgotten.

Kids are awesome…

 

[DavidReaves]

Thanks! Another great idea. This whole thing is trial and error this year!

I actually had a discussion with them and tried to make it as generic as possible. Something like this:

We know that some eggs will not hatch out chicks. If we don’t see any chick developing, it might get a weird smell so we will have to throw that one away. That could mean it had harmful bacteria inside that we want to keep away from our healthy eggs. Also, sometimes chicks will get all the way to the end of a hatch, but not be strong enough to hatch out. It will be sad, but not everything in nature turns out the way we wish it would.

One of the kids asked, if her egg didn’t make it, if she could do a little funeral or make something to honor it. I thought that was super sweet, so I might let the kids who want to make a card or picture for their chick if it doesn’t make it, and we can hang them next to the brooder box so they aren’t forgotten.

Kids are awesome…

Sounds like you are a great teacher. Keep it up!

 

[Iluveggers]

Tested out a quick candle on the white egg. I think it’s dark enough with the shades drawn to candle next to the incubator instead of moving to the closet!

My pic looks like the one in the candling info article at 52 hours (mine have been in for 50 hours right now. . I really hope there is veining in one of them to show the kids tomorrow afternoon! 70 hours should be long enough, right?