Every year at our local fair, Michele volunteers to hatch the chicks for the educational "Old MacDonald's Farm" tent. This year was a disaster - we had a 4-hour power outage on the labour day weekend (some idiot drinking and driving smashed into a hydro pole causing a massive power outage) and then 1 week away from the fair, the thermostat on the incubator itself had a malfunction and the incubator got 2 degrees too hot. The growing chicks could probably have coped with the power outage (they generate their own heat in the egg and so couldn't have gotten too cold right away) but the heat apparently is something growing chicks can't live through.
As a result, none hatched. Zero out of 200. It was devastating.
While the school kids were at their educational tour on Friday, we just put some day-old chicks into the incubator so it appeared as if they were hatching. The hatching is a fundamental part of the "chicken life cycle" demonstration, and a part that all the kids enjoy.
We had also brought Hudson, Beatrice and Little Man, so that the kids could also see some full grown (even if they are Bantams) and beautiful chickens!
On Thursday, the organizer for the educational day called to ask if I could lead the Sheep workshop - the gal that usually does that station got kicked by her horse and so couldn't make it. I took in a fleece from the spring shearing, and had some other props to make the connection between the ewes and wool. I was super nervous to begin, but once the classes start moving through (and there were 16 or so all day) all that nervousness goes away because you are just RUNNING. The kids are noisy and excited and curious. The odd trouble maker wanted to harass the animals, but overall they just wanted to touch the sheep and feed them!
We had 3 young ewes from a local sheep farmer (we didn't bring our own) that were actually quite friendly and sweet. One of them LOVED being pet so the kids got really lucky with her - she would just stand and take as much affection that they wanted to give out.
For the rest of the weekend, we worked at Michele's booth for the kennel, or we were back at Old MacDonald's Farm letting people hold the chicks - even adults love holding chicks! It was an awesome weekend, just playing with chickens!
As a result, none hatched. Zero out of 200. It was devastating.
While the school kids were at their educational tour on Friday, we just put some day-old chicks into the incubator so it appeared as if they were hatching. The hatching is a fundamental part of the "chicken life cycle" demonstration, and a part that all the kids enjoy.
We had also brought Hudson, Beatrice and Little Man, so that the kids could also see some full grown (even if they are Bantams) and beautiful chickens!
On Thursday, the organizer for the educational day called to ask if I could lead the Sheep workshop - the gal that usually does that station got kicked by her horse and so couldn't make it. I took in a fleece from the spring shearing, and had some other props to make the connection between the ewes and wool. I was super nervous to begin, but once the classes start moving through (and there were 16 or so all day) all that nervousness goes away because you are just RUNNING. The kids are noisy and excited and curious. The odd trouble maker wanted to harass the animals, but overall they just wanted to touch the sheep and feed them!
We had 3 young ewes from a local sheep farmer (we didn't bring our own) that were actually quite friendly and sweet. One of them LOVED being pet so the kids got really lucky with her - she would just stand and take as much affection that they wanted to give out.
For the rest of the weekend, we worked at Michele's booth for the kennel, or we were back at Old MacDonald's Farm letting people hold the chicks - even adults love holding chicks! It was an awesome weekend, just playing with chickens!
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