Son's Science Fair Project - ***HELP US TAKE A POLL! See post #22***

[CTChickenMom]

mom'sfolly :

I think food color preference might be fun. Take something like popcorn or pancakes and dye it different colors. With one bird at a time offer the same food, but in different colors, say red, blue and green. Record the first, second and third choice. Repeat with new hen. Then repeat on another day with the same birds and same foods.

Do this enough times to have a good sampling, maybe two or three birds for a week. This should be enough to show results for color preference. An expansion might be to feed a neutral colored food for a few days, and then do the neutral color and other colors for a few days. This would tested if learned behavior overrides color preference.

Hypothosis: chickens like red food best
method: see above
results:Color picked first, 10 tests
Hen 1: red 5 times, blue 3, green 2
hen 2: red-4, blue-3, green-3
hen 3: red-6, blue-1, green-4
hen 4: red 7, blue-1, green-2

Conclusion: chickens prefer red food, followed by green, then blue. But some chickens like the colors pretty much the same, and some show a strong preference for red.

This is really interesting and certainly doable with my 10 hens.​

 

[horsejody]

I recently saw a first grade science project where a kid showed what happened to eggs as they age by floating and weighing them. If you end up not being able to hatch, that might be an option.

 

[Intheswamp]

Hmmm, how about really getting their attention with a little "shock and awe" by doing a project entitled "Look what came out of your breakfast items you bought at Trader Joe's" project?

Ed

 

[CTChickenMom]

Quote:
Oh my! I'd be joining the TJ hatching club! Now wouldn't that be cool?! The nearest TJ is about a 40 minute ride. I'd need to find out where they get their eggs from to see if that's doable.

I think we've decided on doing the dual incubator project and compare how the two work. We will make one of the styrofoam 'bators and then will borrow, or maybe buy a used, regulation, factory made 'bator. I need to decide where I'm going to get eggs. My roos aren't reliable enough with the girls to try hatching out my own. I'd be tossing more than what hatched. I think I'll go check the for-sale eggs and see what is available for when I need them. I'd have to set them on the 25th.

 

[Shadowhills Farm]

Quote:
This is really interesting and certainly doable with my 10 hens.

What about find out what colors chickens can see using the dye? Have the feed dyed three different colors and seeing which one they go to? Or something along those lines. I wish I could think of stuff, but it would be too complicated for a 2nd grader!

 

[CTChickenMom]

Quote:
This is really interesting and certainly doable with my 10 hens.

What about find out what colors chickens can see using the dye? Have the feed dyed three different colors and seeing which one they go to? Or something along those lines. I wish I could think of stuff, but it would be too complicated for a 2nd grader!

Jake is pretty bright. We've had doctors and teachers tell us he has a high level of comprehension and language. He's now reading at a full grade level above where he's at with spelling and math tests scoring 100% nearly every time. I'm more worried about me understanding.

I don't want it too complex, we have a limited amount of time. If you have a complex idea let me know and I'll tell you if it's above his head (or mine).

I do like this experiement if I can't get hatching eggs.

 

[Shadowhills Farm]

Quote:
What about find out what colors chickens can see using the dye? Have the feed dyed three different colors and seeing which one they go to? Or something along those lines. I wish I could think of stuff, but it would be too complicated for a 2nd grader!

Jake is pretty bright. We've had doctors and teachers tell us he has a high level of comprehension and language. He's now reading at a full grade level above where he's at with spelling and math tests scoring 100% nearly every time. I'm more worried about me understanding.

I don't want it too complex, we have a limited amount of time. If you have a complex idea let me know and I'll tell you if it's above his head (or mine).

I do like this experiement if I can't get hatching eggs.

I would go with either the hatching eggs or the project mentioned above since you're working on limited time. My projects have taken 1/2 year before to complete. I think your son will enjoy whatever project he chooses to do. I am sure that the teacher will be impressed, too

 

[chickenwhisperer123]

The colored feed one sounds like a really cool project!!

 

[PotterWatch]

I think the colored feed one is a good one also. Especially since the gro-gel that some hatcheries send with chicks is green (I am fairly certain). It would be interesting to see if chicks are more attracted to green food than any other since that is the color the gel is...

 

[mom'sfolly]

If you do the color one, maybe you can also poll chicken owners on the color they think the chickens will prefer. It might be a fun extra observation: 20 out of 30 chicken owners think chickens prefer green food....

My vote is for red, they sure go after painted toe nails!