My Librarian and I hatched a plan. We (the library) had incubators. I (Glory Farm) had eggs. I taught about ‘broody hens’, the difference between grocery store eggs, and eggs that had a rooster around, what jobs the mother hen did and how the incubator worked. 
One dozen eggs from the hen-house to the incubator. A school full of excited kids and adults. Each child knows that it takes 21 days to hatch chickens. They know that the hen turns the eggs and so does our incubator.
The glass on the library window is perpetually smeared with finger prints, nose prints and foreheads pressed against the glass. My Librarian set up a flip chart to show what day we were on and what the developing chick would look like.
I explained what color Mr. Buff is, how many different colored chickens we had and that we didn’t know how many eggs would hatch or what color they might be.
I love to watch some of the smaller kids standing outside the window explaining to their parent, what exactly is going on and how very much they know!
Hatch day is just around the corner. We will be adding a ‘chick -cam’ to the window, live news hatching feed available for every class!
As one boy put it, it is ‘egg-citing’!
I convinced my school to purchase an incubator one year for my kindergarten class. I knew almost nothing about chickens or incubators. During the first cycle, the machine got unplugged. The second round, nothing hatched. The third dozen eggs resulted in one chick hatching! We were all mesmerized and just watched the process all day. The class named our chick Tweety. Everyday, for about three weeks, we made a circle and Tweety was let out of the cage. Squeals of delight, a lesson on “elimination” and lots of handwashing ensued. I finally got tired of the smell in my classroom and caring for Tweety on the weekends, so Tweety went home with one of my students (he had chickens at home). It is a cherished memory. You will have a school full of students that will cherish all the wonderful experiences you and your librarian “hatch”. I hope you have a full brood!
So neat! I am pretty sure our chick or chicks will have to be called Stuart, since we are Mt. Stuart. I just hope we get a few at least! Spring break is next week, so they will ‘go home’ to my farm or a teacher’s before the end of the week. We are hopeful to have the chicks in the window for a few days! Very exciting!
That is wonderfully high praise coming from such an exceptional teacher!
Thank you!
So very cool!
Thank you! Now we just need a few to hatch safely!
OH!!!! What a great idea! Can’t wait to hear more when they hatch. Are the kids guessing how many will hatch and what colors and then win a prize?
We thought about it, but they are so excited, that we’re just going with the chick-cam. Then we’ll make the window a brooder for a few days and have chicks in the window…I hope!
Love it!!!!!
Thanks Christa! Tuesday is the 21st day, so stay tuned!