Wednesday 23 November 2016

Hatching Hub Issue # 2

Hatching Hub Issue #2

The end of the year is fast approaching and there is so much to report since our first issue in June! This issue includes how the duck and chooks have been, adopting opportunities, our plan over the Summer holidays and what is to come in 2017!

Nine Chooks & a Duck

It's been a full house/mixed bag over in the chicken coop since their hatching earlier in the year. While not all our friends were hatched here at MPPS, they have all called MPPS home. Using our own incubator we successfully hatched a duck and much to the annoyance of our neighbours, what turned out to be a rooster. Additionally, we received 3 chickens as a donation from the White family and 4 from a local hatchery. Besides the rooster, we had 7 chickens and 1 duck laying eggs which were used in the Kids Cafe. 


 

 

Many students from across the levels assisted with the care of the chooks and collection of eggs. Special thanks needs to go Ella M & Ella Ma. of Grade 5 for their commitment to keep the coop clean each week and their care of the chooks. Also a big thank you to Angus, Hannah and Baylin of Grade 4 for also giving up some of their time to ensure our feathered friends were clean and fed!

Sadly for some, yet excitedly for others, we had to farewell the rooster a few weeks ago. After months of speculating the sex of the rooster, his vocal box kicked in and we heard him cock-a-doodle-doo at all hours of the day. Roosters cannot be kept in residential areas so he was given to a breeder in Somerville.

Summer Holidays
Due to the absence of staff, students and the unpredictable weather over the holidays, our feathered friends are going to new forever homes or having their own holiday at Miss Arentz's Dad's farm.

Duck - has a new home on a farm with other ducks.
Rooster - has a new home with a breeder.
3 ISA Brown Chickens - holiday with Mr Arentz until Term 1 2017.

Adopting Opportunities
Similar to last year, we are offering 4 of our beautiful chooks to members of the school community to take home and keep as their own. They will be given in pairs on the proviso that they will be loved, cared for and not become a meal! If you are interested, please see Miss Oates before the end of term.

What's Happening in 2017?
As we are lucky enough to have our own incubator here at MPPS, in Term 1 2017 we will begin the whole hatching program again. This is a wonderful learning opportunity for students to learn about life cycles and the importance of caring for living things. The 3 ISA brown chickens will also return and continue laying. 

How many can we hatch next year? Stay tuned for the next issue!


Thursday 9 June 2016

Hatching Hub Issue #1


Hatching Hub

Welcome to the first issue of Mentone Park's Hatching Hub! The place where you can find all the latest information and updates about our exciting new additions to Mentone Park.

The story so far...
Last year we rescued 10 chickens from a battery farm. The frightened and malnourished animals arrived at Mentone Park, ready for some TLC from our grade 3 and 4s. In no time they were brought back to health and laying regularly. At the end of the year the chickens went to two Mentone Park families and we planned to rescue a new set in 2016. At the start of the year we investigated battery hens again, however there was going to be a wait of up to a term. Thus we hatched a new idea!


By Kirby, Elly, Sienna G and Izzy

                                      


On Tuesday 3rd of May, 19 eggs went into the incubator

The thermometer helps us make sure the eggs stay at exactly the right temperature of 103 degrees

A sign is put up to ensure the eggs and area are kept safe

A look inside the egg on Day 6 - the veins are finally visible!

Day 20 - a crack appears!

Day 21 - a baby chick has hatched! The chick needs to stay in the incubator for 2 days while it builds its strength and will feed off the nutrients from its hatched egg.

Two days after hatching, the chick is placed in the tank under a heat lamp to help keep warm. Grade 1 students keenly observe as the chick adapts to its new surroundings.


We start to worry that our chick might be the only one. We use our candler (special torch) to check the eggs but sadly there are no signs of growing life in all the eggs and the hatching cycle for chickens has ended.


But wait! We notice 2 different shades of egg; brown and white. We begin to wonder if in fact they are chicken eggs! After some investigation, we leave certain eggs in the incubator and wait patiently,  with our fingers, toes and wings crossed!


Day 29 - a crack appears! Day 30 - we are joined by our new friend, the duckling! The duckling also needs to spend 2 days in the incubator while it gathers its strength and will feed off of the nutrients from its shell.



After 2 days the duckling is ready to go under the heat lamp. We test them in together but being bigger, the chick is curious and loves to the peck the duckling. We separate them for a night until the duckling finds its feet.


Because we all love having friends here at Mentone Park, five more chicks join us from a hatchery. Here they snuggle together to keep warm.

After tipping over all their food, they kindly posed for a family photo. Sadly one of the chicks from the hatchery was not strong enough and passed away, but we still have 5 beautiful little fluffy friends to love and care for!


What a journey it has been, and it's only issue #1! A huge thank you to the people that have helped our little friends along the way...- Nuline Bus Company for donating the incubator
- Miss Arentz's Dad for the eggs from his farm
- Chris Mcleod of Mentone Aquarium for lending us the heat lamp
- The Junior School Students for caring for the chicks
- Dayna Mignone for planting the seed and getting the chicken shed going

In a few weeks our fluffy friends will be able to venture outside into our AMAZING chicken shed and there they will be met by...

Our lovely three hens!

Thank you to the White family for organising the donation of these chooks!
Stay tuned for the next issue of the Hatching Hub with lots more news and student work! Below are some artistic and descriptive pieces by Grades 1 & 2!