Teacher seeking info in Kansas: Please Help!

[rlwt]

I am a middle school teacher and I first got interested in chickens through looking for information for an incubation project to do with my 6th graders. I am now at the stage where I am looking for Orpington hatching eggs and absorbing as much information as possible. I am hoping to convince my head of school to let the kids raise the chickens out back and sell eggs from the school as a business/biology project. I am in Lawrence, KS so if anyone has any good ideas for this project there are a few things I'm looking into now:

1. I'm trying to decide where to purchase eggs from. Every thing I have seen so far has involved shipping and I'd love to go pick up the eggs from someone so that they do not get shaken so much in their trip here.
2. I am trying to decide if I should purchase, borrow or build an incubator and a rotating platform for the eggs.
3. I'm pretty sure I want Orpingtons but if anyone has a better suggestion please share what it is and why.
4. I need to find either a cheap coop for the birds whether they stay at the school or elsewhere or I could find a plan to build one so any ideas there would be useful as well.

Looking forward to getting some good info!

Thanks

 

[ChickenPeep]

Hello!!!!!

I'm in Olathe Kansas, about 40 minutes away!
I'm sorry, I can't help you with that.

 

[JulieNKC]

from Missouri!

 

[weimarmama]

&

from Alabama. Glad you joined us. You can try going to the Where am I! Where are you? section and post on your state's thread that you're looking for hatching eggs or look on your local craigslist. I've never built an incubator (I do have two Hovabators that I love, though), but there are plenty of incubator plans on here, as well as, coop plans:

Incubators: https://www.backyardchickens.com/a/homemade-chicken-egg-incubator-designs-pictures
Coops: https://www.backyardchickens.com/atype/2/Coop_Designs

 

[ChickensXOXO]

from North Carolina.

Good luck with your project.

 

[1muttsfan]

I would also recommend your state thread as a great resource. You chick also check out the chickenstock and get-together thread

https://www.backyardchickens.com/f/8/chickenstocks-shows-meet-ups

Is it possible you mean orpingtons?

And welcome to BYC from northern Michigan

 

[Cowgirl75446]

from Texas!

 

[Kevin565]

 

[HEChicken]

ChooksChick is right there in Lawrence and she might be able to help you out with fertile eggs. Don't know if she has Orpingtons, but she has a lot of cool breeds.

 

[vickie2133]

Do you have a local 4H program in your area? They sometimes raise and show chickens, and I know order some. It may be a good thing to look into. I think you have a great idea and it would be a great experience for the kids.