Kdgn teacher needs help

[tvanearden]

Ok so I have the incubator and the egg turner. My concern is that my classroom gets really cold. I've come in before school starts and it's been 40 Degrees . So I am wondering what to do. My incubator states it will stay around 20 degrees above room temp. Should I build some kind to temperature controlled box, and if I do need to build something how do I do it? I am at such a loss.

The lady at the feedstore opened my eyes to the fact that this isn't as easy as " put the eggs in the incubator and 21 days later you have adorable chicks.

I am also looking for a poster that has each days develpoment pictured. That way the kids can see what's going on in the eggs.

I would also appreciate any help, resources, advice or anything that will help!

I teach 2 classes which equals 48 kiddos that have their hearts set on these chicks. I can't let them down!

Thank you in advance,
Teresa, a teacher in a Big City in California

 

[ChickieBooBoo]

Quote:
You could candle the eggs by shining a bright light through them in a darkish room, you can see the chicks moving inside at about 1 week

 

[Countrywife]

That is going to be really too cold for the incubation- you are going to need to heat it up.

 

[gumbii]

probably going to need a better type of thermostat or temp controller... like this... http://incubatorwarehouse.com/index.php/digital-electronic-egg-incubator-thermostat.html


also gonna need to be a forced air setup... with a fan... then maybe, you will be able to control the temp better... but i dunno about humidity... since swings in the class temp will influence that...

 

[RainbowBirds_of_a_Feather]

Quote:
Aloha and

!

From my understanding, your incubator will be 20 degrees above room temperature. That is good but seeing the outside temperature fluctuates. I would say just monitor the eggs with candling so in case there are casualties, you can spot them before you have an explosion of smell etc.. If some eggs are not fertile and or die in the egg you will have losses. I would explain to the kids that not all eggs will survive and that it happens to mama hens that are going to hatch eggs. That is the cycle of life survival of the fittest. Because for them to know that not all eggs will hatch they will be aware and hopefully it will not cause too much of a opened "can of worms". Here are some sites and pics about it that i find interesting..

http://www.mrsmacdonald.net/chick_embryology.htm

http://www.books-online-store.net/node/children-books/biology/list_18773_2.html

http://conversationswithfriends.com/wp-threads/?tag=Candling-a-chicken-egg


I work with unique individuals and I have to explain certain things to them It is hard not to disappoint but if you prepare them for the different possibilites it will not cause too much of a negative effect. Just have to word it for them to understand that not all things make it in life and other will. Hope this Helps!

 

[WriterofWords]

I do a lot of incubating in my classroom and my administration is very supportive about it, they allow my room temperature to be set at 65 when I'm not there so that the incubator doesn't have to try and balance that out. Maybe if you ask them they can do the same for you. If not ask them if you can run a heat lamp in your room, making sure it's secure and can't touch anything or fall, in the area of your incubator to help keep it warm. I don't incubate until April when it's warmer, although I'm in a portable and it's an oven so I have to run the ac more during that time. The students do get upset at times when they don't all hatch, but like it or not that is life. I use incubation to teach the life cycle and respect for all living things, at times I have to comfort a student who is upset when an egg quits and when we candle it have to remove it. I tell them that there is a reason it quit, it may not have been ok and would not have survived if it hatched so it's easier to quit while in the egg. Depending on my students I use the term quit and not died. I teach 6th but all grades come through to see the eggs and then the chicks or ducklings.

 

[bywaterdog]

See if your feed store will have baby chicks at the time of your hatch, if so just get to work early and "slip some in " on your 21st. day. My kindergarten teacher tried to hatch some chicks out for our class-but no luck, they all died.
This was my first "failed hatch" and I still remember the disappointment of no baby chicks. This happened in 1966, some things you just don't forget.

 

[barrelmom]

For posters and other resources check out Murray McMurray Hatchery for their Embryology in the Classroom section (http://www.mcmurrayhatchery.com/embryology_in_the_classroom.html).