New Project :-)

[oldjerry]

Blimey,what a hornet's nest.Great thread 'though.
My kids have had the same sort of experience as Boboff's,but does that mean that others from a different environment,and with different life experiences would be OK with it? I simply don't know.
Even a couple of years back,I'd have said ''all kids should know these basic lessons,have a proper appreciation...blah blah..but I'm not sure teaching and evangelism go together that well,and sometimes coming from an 'ish' perspective I can't help but see the image in my mind of the old Plymouth Brethren bloke that used to stand on the pavement in Penzance with a bible in his hand,shouting scripture at passersby.

I could be wrong(probably am).

[boboff]

Thanks Jerry, now I know where I know you from, Penzance high Street!

[oldjerry]

CURSES....!!!!!!!

(and the dribbling's got worse)

[Jandra]

Getting back on the wellfare issue for the chicks I would say that much depends on what is actually taught with the hatching on the chicks. Does having chicks hatch in the classroom inherently teach children that they (the chicks) are disposable? Any more than seeing the chicks at a petting zoo?

I agree that a classroom situation could be a bad thing for the animals. But I am not assuming that it automatically would be. And if it is ass well thought-out as it seems to be, and is well handled, I think it is a great way for kids learn something special. If the chickens are relocated to good homes (or freezers), then they surely will have had a better life than many a chick on this planet.

Anyway, many of the concerns mentioned are valid, but I personally don't think it is automatically are stupid idea, sending the wrong message to children and/or abusing the animals. There is a risk, but that's there every time a human takes responsibility for an animal. Like I said, other people may think differently, this is just how I feel about it.

[thesunflowergal]

Thank you for all of the lovely positive comments. Like I have already said, please only comment if you have something useful to add!!! Everyone is entitled to their opinion, but I refuse to justify myself to someone that is coming across as rude as some.
We will be starting the whole process in a couple of weeks, those on FB will be able to follow our progress . Its going to be an amazing experience for all involved.

[doofaloofa]

What is your plan for the hatchlings SFG?

[thesunflowergal]

Hi Doofaloofa.

Don't panic I have plenty of room here for some extra chickens, I already have another home lined up if I end up with more than one roo. We are only hatching three eggs!!
The children will be taught ( as I teach my own) that the animals welfare comes first. The birds will be looked after to the highest level and I will not tolerate any messing around or un kindness from the children. I am willing to discuss and explain some the issues already raised here, but I am not a teacher so I would need to speak to the kids teacher beforehand.

[Niele da Kine]

Here's a link from the University at Texas which has loads of good information on hatching almost any kind of egg.

http://aggie-horticulture.tamu.edu/orga ... g-eggs.pdf

Hatch loads of them and sell them to make money for the school. Hens are good for folks to have and the roosters are especially tasty. Chicken soup cures crowing and you don't need roosters for the hens to lay eggs.

At one time, I had a hybrid cross where the rooster chicks were marked differently than the hens. That's no good because then you end up with a lot of rooster chicks that nobody wants. Best way I found was to sell them all "straight run" and with a "rooster return policy". If the chick turned into a rooster and they didn't want roosters, I take the rooster back and refund their money. They are curiously enough, glad to do this. I have no idea why. I've had the use of their $5 for six months and they've fed up a baby chick to tender frying size. There are still folks bringing me roosters and I don't have to pay them since they didn't buy the chick from me.

It would be lovely if someone could figure out which ones are the roosters while they are still eggs, though. Then you could make all the roosters into omelets and save the bother of hatching them. But roosters are tasty and they can then reincarnate as a hen.