Week 1
It's going to be a very exciting 10 days in Reception Class. We will be caring for, and hatching our very own live chicks. We will use this blog to keep you posted each day.
Monday 26th February
This morning at 9.15am, Farmer Kevin arrived from the Happy Chick Company. He brought a little incubator and put 10 eggs inside. We have to monitor the temperature of the incubator and top it up with warm water - this will keep the eggs moist and soft, so the chicks can crack the shell easily. In a couple of days we should see our first little chicks hatch.
Tuesday 27th February
Today we have seen some movement. A couple of eggs have twitched slightly! We have also heard very tiny cheeping noises from inside the shells, so things are definitely developing quickly! We are hoping the chicks will feel welcomed when they arrive, so we have been busy decorating the classroom and writing little letters...
Thursday 29th February
The most wonderful day today. When the children arrived, they were greeted by three little baby chicks. By the time we had done the register, number four was on the way, closely followed by five and six. Eight and nine arrived just before the children went home...
Did you know? When baby chickens hatch, they actually eat the yolk and the membrane of their eggshell, which provides them with lots of very valuable nutrients. They don't need to feed again until 1–2 days after they hatch.
Friday 1st March
When we arrived this morning, we were greeted by two more feathery friends. Chicks 9 and 10 had hatched overnight. Now all the chicks had hatched, it was time to transfer them to the bigger 'brooder' box. We prepared this by lining the base with paper and wood chippings, and filling water and food containers. We carefully transferred the chicks one at a time.
The brooder box has a special heat lamp to keep the chicks warm. The chicks absolutely love their new home...
Now that the chicks are fully dry, you can really see their beautiful colours. So, how can we tell if it is a girl or a boy? Well, the yellow chicks are the males (Cockerels / Roosters) and the brown are the females (Hens / Pullets)
Next week, the children will be handling the chicks. We will also be building a large 'chicken run' on the carpet, so the chicks get to have a big run around and stretch their legs. Please don't worry about the chicks being alone over the weekend...they are having a little 'staycation' with Mrs Evans.