To think hatching projects in schools are wrong?

[daisidoo]

It’s 2024. Why can’t you show a video?
The ratio of chicks is 60:40 male to female. When settings have done with the chicks / they have grown too big, they get sent back and the males usually get culled on arrival. The females are easier to find homes for but the rescues are apparently full up and down the country. I really, really don’t understand the mentality of any provider still doing this. No it is not wonderful and magical, it devalues the lives of these beings. I challenged a setting the other day and the organiser didn’t know what to say, other than ‘they are rehomed ethically’. They knew nothing more about it. I wish it was banned.

Is it really any different to killing birds for meat or killing chicks for snake food? That’s what the males will probably end up as anyway.

Arguably as bad. I don’t eat meat or eggs. The people that do can make their own choice but I just think there’s something evil about admiring the chicks hatch and come to life, to snuff them out. What does it teach? What a great species we are.

I agree they are using animals for human pleasure, I don't like it. But I'm not even keen on pets as a thing.

It’s an appalling industry based on cruelty and lies. The chicks and ducklings do not go and live their lives on a farm at all. When pressed the lady delivering said they’d be in Waitrose at 7 weeks . Myself and other staff bought the ducklings out of our own money (yes had to pay £10 for each) and they went to a friends small holding to live out their natural lives. My heart broke for the little souls in cages in the back of her van. Could t save them all.

That’s fair enough

It’s barbaric, and dishonest to the kids

They won't be in waitrose as they aren't usually meat birds.
The equipment needed is quite specific and usually too expensive for a school to buy, so they are usually loaned to the school.
What will usually happen is that a company like Hens for Hire will lease the entire set up, including eggs, incubator, heatlamp etc to the school. The school will take care of the chicks for the duration of the project, then once the project is done the company, ie Hens for Hire, will take back the chicks and equipment. A local poultry business have a contract to take all of the chicks from the Hire company. Most of the pullets (females) will be reared to sell onto back garden keepers or to egg producers. The cocks will be culled probably for food.
We've actually lent hatching equipment to our local primary school, provided them with eggs and feed etc, then taken everything back to our farm once the project has finished.
I have heard of schools buying the equipment and then trying to get parents to take on the birds afterwards, but I'm not sure realistically how often that's happened.

Our sons school use caterpillars then free the butterflies instead of

Hatching crocodiles would be cool.
That would get the kids moving in the playground.

My husband was a farm manager. Our children saw animals being born alive, stillborn or dying later along with those who were born alive and thriving. We incubated ducklings at home which we raised in the garden with a paddling pool pond, we had a hand reared lamb stay with us for a while. the ducklings and the lamb were taken into school for show and tell. We were very honest with our children and with the teachers (who asked) that the ducklings would grow into ducks and be eaten by us eventually. The lamb was returned to the farm, where no doubt he was eventually sent to market. The point of hatching in schools is to show the wonder of an egg turning into a chick/duckling and most young children would not question what happens to them later. All children born into farming families are aware of what eventually happens to livestock. Cows, pigs, chickens etc can live a lovely life, be well cared for, roam the land but eventually die and get sent to the abbatoir where they are turned into dog food or incinerated etc or they can be reared for meat.

Yes, I think it's horrible. Also chicks look for their mother at birth, follow her around and sleep under her wing at night. I think it's cruel to separate them from their mother.

@Diversion my dc have been raised in a similar way.
Most kids nowadays think meat comes ready packaged in Tesco, and it important that they learn about the whole cycle, so projects like this in schools give them a small, but important insight. It has to be managed properly though, welfare is thst most important thing every step.of the way.
@BrieOnToast these chicks aren't removed from their mother, they are hatched in an incubator. The only interaction they had with her was when she laid the egg. A commercial hen will lay up to 300 eggs a year.

Animals don't ned to have met their mother for the instinct to look for her and seek comfort from her to be there. It's not a learnt behaviour, it's an instinct.

We did this back when I was at school in the 80’s. They hatched a duck called Festival and it went to live (with other ducks) in a back garden that backed onto the school playing field. It used to come to the fence when called

Do your children learn that their chicks are going to be killed right after leaving the school? Probably not. They’re probably told they’re going to a nice farm. If schools are going to do this exercise about how food is reared, they should be truthful and tell them what happens. Rather than let them grow up with their fluffy bunny heads in the sand like their parent’s generation. And if that’s deemed too harsh then they shouldn’t be rearing chicks and only teaching them the nice side. It’s no wonder society is so fucked up.

I feel torn on this as when it's done well in schools, there's lots of learning for children. Life cycles, care and compassion for animals, responsibility, lots of beautiful writing is often stimulated. But yes it doesn't always feel great to me. The male chicks are killed and I definitely wouldn't say any animal from these companies is 'ethically rehomed' unless they go to staff or parents (which in our school does often happen). I eat meat so it feels a bit hypocritical to be concerned about the 7 chicks in our care. Anyway, we had parental complaints so we don't do it anymore. Like someone else said, we look at catapillars - butterflies and then release them which is lovely.

The point of hatching in schools is to show the wonder of an egg turning into a chick/duckling and most young children would not question what happens to them later

I think that's kind of the point though, isn't it?
If you're going to do it, at least tell the kids the reality. In an age appropriate way of course.

Yeah im a bit uncomfortable with this. Im all for teaching children about the circle of life (inc the reality of death) but i would prefer the kids visit a farm/the butterly option seems better as it's not taking an animal away from its mum

I've never heard of this. My friend is a teacher and did it with her class but the chicks were hers and were taking home to raise. She has sheep and a few ducks too.