A dis-agree on an opinion or rather experiment.
My daughter's cousin learned about incubating chicks and science in her Kindergarten class this year, located in Cedar Springs, MI. I thought that this was an interesting thing and that it might be very good for the children and maybe even teach them something about animal responsibility including birth and the appreciation all of animals. I am sure that many of these lessons were passed onto the children.
What surprised myself and angered my own love of animals was the fact that after the incubation and birth of the chicks at about 6 days the teacher decided to give away all of the chicks to classmates. Now you may be thinking that this was no big deal as the chicks in fact do need a home if the teacher is not willing to be responsible for the hatch herself. What was a big deal was that these potential new chick owners were not screened or educated on the care of the chicks needed to sustain them. They were given a small cardboard box and sent home on the bus or picked up by many un-specting parents much like my daughter's cousin. The chicks then most likely ended up in urban or homes where they may not get the care they need as in the case of my daughter's cousin's home.
The entire story from my daughter's cousin, her mother and her grandmother had bothered my daughter. She came home in tears and was very convincing that we encourage her cousin and her parents to release the chick to us or someone who could care for it properly. My daughter is 11 and her cousin is only 5 years old.
The story of my daughter's cousin's chick: The chick traveled home on the bus with the child. It was, according to the parents, in a cardboard box for hours before it came home officially. By then it had been handled by almost everyone on the bus, according to the child, and picked up, dropped by the child herself. The chick then according to the mother's direction was left outside because it was livestock and not welcome into the home overnight for 2 days. We were told that the mother said "Oh that thing will be just fine." After these two days, during Memorial weekend, the chick went camping for 4 days spending time outside of the family's traveling RV before returning home to it's "outside the garage" "brooder" cardboard box. The chick, according to my daughter, is now being fed a diet of Parakeet food. The chick was not provided food or much water and a brooding light during the entire "trip". The chick is now housed inside a bigger cardboard box again outside the garage.
We and my daughter have pleaded with the family. The mother claims they can take better care of it than us. But alas, my daughter invited her cousin over to the house to view our chickens and their coop and explain why they need certain care. The cousin was nicely taken over by her Grandmother whom also encourages our "idea" for her granddaughter's chick. My daughter and I offered to take her cousins chick off her hands and let us raise it with loving care, the promise that she could visit it anytime and that we'd keep her little chick safe. We have yet to hear from the family. Our offer was of-course made today and hopefully it will just take time.
I am ashamed of the teacher whom didn't screen or seem to care where and what happened to these chicks she incubated after she gave them away to little children with no instructions on care and to the surprise of many parents. I could be wrong in my view of these events but I just had to share my opinion and remorse for the care and handling of these chicks. I understand the necessity to teach our children animal welfare and husbandry but do not agree with how it has taken course in this classroom. It to me is like teaching the lesson but not following thru on what you teach.
Comments and opinions? Am I wrong or right to think this way? Am I too concerned or not concerned enough? I am in no way picking a fight with our wonderful educators in this state. I am just a concerned citizen, parent and chick lover. Thank you all.
A concerned and loving chicken owner in Grant.
My daughter's cousin learned about incubating chicks and science in her Kindergarten class this year, located in Cedar Springs, MI. I thought that this was an interesting thing and that it might be very good for the children and maybe even teach them something about animal responsibility including birth and the appreciation all of animals. I am sure that many of these lessons were passed onto the children.
What surprised myself and angered my own love of animals was the fact that after the incubation and birth of the chicks at about 6 days the teacher decided to give away all of the chicks to classmates. Now you may be thinking that this was no big deal as the chicks in fact do need a home if the teacher is not willing to be responsible for the hatch herself. What was a big deal was that these potential new chick owners were not screened or educated on the care of the chicks needed to sustain them. They were given a small cardboard box and sent home on the bus or picked up by many un-specting parents much like my daughter's cousin. The chicks then most likely ended up in urban or homes where they may not get the care they need as in the case of my daughter's cousin's home.
The entire story from my daughter's cousin, her mother and her grandmother had bothered my daughter. She came home in tears and was very convincing that we encourage her cousin and her parents to release the chick to us or someone who could care for it properly. My daughter is 11 and her cousin is only 5 years old.
The story of my daughter's cousin's chick: The chick traveled home on the bus with the child. It was, according to the parents, in a cardboard box for hours before it came home officially. By then it had been handled by almost everyone on the bus, according to the child, and picked up, dropped by the child herself. The chick then according to the mother's direction was left outside because it was livestock and not welcome into the home overnight for 2 days. We were told that the mother said "Oh that thing will be just fine." After these two days, during Memorial weekend, the chick went camping for 4 days spending time outside of the family's traveling RV before returning home to it's "outside the garage" "brooder" cardboard box. The chick, according to my daughter, is now being fed a diet of Parakeet food. The chick was not provided food or much water and a brooding light during the entire "trip". The chick is now housed inside a bigger cardboard box again outside the garage.
We and my daughter have pleaded with the family. The mother claims they can take better care of it than us. But alas, my daughter invited her cousin over to the house to view our chickens and their coop and explain why they need certain care. The cousin was nicely taken over by her Grandmother whom also encourages our "idea" for her granddaughter's chick. My daughter and I offered to take her cousins chick off her hands and let us raise it with loving care, the promise that she could visit it anytime and that we'd keep her little chick safe. We have yet to hear from the family. Our offer was of-course made today and hopefully it will just take time.
I am ashamed of the teacher whom didn't screen or seem to care where and what happened to these chicks she incubated after she gave them away to little children with no instructions on care and to the surprise of many parents. I could be wrong in my view of these events but I just had to share my opinion and remorse for the care and handling of these chicks. I understand the necessity to teach our children animal welfare and husbandry but do not agree with how it has taken course in this classroom. It to me is like teaching the lesson but not following thru on what you teach.
Comments and opinions? Am I wrong or right to think this way? Am I too concerned or not concerned enough? I am in no way picking a fight with our wonderful educators in this state. I am just a concerned citizen, parent and chick lover. Thank you all.
A concerned and loving chicken owner in Grant.
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There are Narrangansett turkeys, ducklings and a few chickens.
