Wondering if I am just an old crankypants....

[Amy S]

This isn't the lesson we are teaching in my classroom.
Our project took a month to get started because we were busy finding homes for the potential ducklings and chicks. If we didn't have homes for them, we weren't going to do the hatching project.

That is great that you involved them in the pre-thinking stage!

 

[psue]

This isn't the lesson we are teaching in my classroom.
Our project took a month to get started because we were busy finding homes for the potential ducklings and chicks. If we didn't have homes for them, we weren't going to do the hatching project.
I bought a chicken magazine and went through it with a couple of the kids one night and they now know where their meat comes from. I was their age when I learned that pork was pig, and our 2 pigs in the pens in the back yard weren't exactly pets, and refused to eat pork for years.

So my kids will know that people eat chickens and ducks and cows and other things. That's part of our lesson with this.
My kids are also learning that just because you want a cute little duckling or chick, doesn't mean you get to bring one home. They are living beings and need proper care. They are to talk that over with parents and if they can't provide proper care for them or their family doesn't want to help, it means a cute little duckling or chick doesn't go home with them.
We do have a bunch of homes lined up. And we have somebody willing to take any of the chicks that don't have a home after those that have requested them get them. Same for the ducks - the person that provided us with the eggs will take back any ducklings.

I will be taking a duckling as well as a few chicks (depending on what breeds we end up with). Another teacher will be taking about 6 chicks and maybe a couple of ducks. One of the kids grandparents may take a couple of ducks. The owner of the company will take a couple of them. Our director has found others that would like ducks or chickens. So we are doing well on the finding homes side of things. The extra chicks will go to a friend who will eat any roosters.

I don't think you're a cranky pants at all. My father, God love him, has this whole thing thought out and actually helps his local schools. He provides the fertile eggs, but they have to provide all the equipment. The kids are welcome, with parental permission, to take home the chickens when it's time. He coaches, instructs and works with the students and the teachers. He gives all the information and help he can. Then when it's all said and done, he takes home the left overs. Isn't that great!? I love him for that. He found a way to accomplish the same thing for the students without hurting innocent creatures.

We raised rabbits as kids and my father taught us to be responsible. If we weren't, the animal was the one who suffered. I learned that lesson well and pass that along to my own children.

Yep, me too. Impulse buys aren't always bad as long as you are accountable for what might go wrong down the road because of it.

I am happy to hear of those who have well thought out plans. On-hand learning is a great thing! Many of these kids don't have animals, and their only chance to learn how to care properly for another living thing is through these projects. Yay for you guys!!!

That is great that you involved them in the pre-thinking stage!

to all of the above

 

[Going Quackers]

A well planned out hatch with properly cared for chicks who go to homes that are ready and able to raise chicks/chickens is a great experience for kids who also learn about respect for life and caring for that creature long term.

Yes, this... around here the farms take them back.. it's set up through the local community. I think when done right it's an excellent concept but then again as with most things there is always the potential for abuse/misuse.

 

[Oregon Blues]

Some of my hatching eggs just went to be a third grade project. They are not "classroom pets". It is an entire project where the children learn about how to care for animals. Ducklings are going to homes with 4-H kids to be shown at the fair.

This hatch is better thought out than a lot of hatches I hear about. The teacher studied what to do to hatch very thoroughly. There is no impulse buy going on here.

I very much disapprove of the impulse buy by people who don't have a clue and who don't actually want a full time pet. I approve of the feed stores that make buyers take 6 or more. I suspect that has saved a lot of little birds from being carried around by the neck until they die of chill or starvation.

 

[cecosugi]

Veronicasmom: I have a little animal rescue, so I deal with "disposal pets" all the time. It can be very frustrating, and it's easy to lose faith in people.

Then there comes TLWR and I'm renewed!

You know, the sad stories are really and truly disheartening, but there are just as many really truly GOOD people out there. I am constantly amazed at the lovely people God puts in my path.

 

[jdywntr]

I worked at the local ASPCA down here about 10 years ago. Every year we would have people bringing in dozens of chicks hatched from classroom projects and even had occasional 4Hers bring in unwanted birds.
They no longer accept birds of any kind but I'm sure that people still dispose of them somehow.

 

[MamaDuck1]

To the ones who dont plan.... And there are many... Inhave a HUGE problem with it. Its important to teach logic above all else. There are live webcams of hatching eggs all over the internet they can watch instead.. That is just as exciting IMO.