peanut12 Posted January 28, 2008 Share Posted January 28, 2008 Hi all I amtrying to convince my school to get a run and around 10 layers for Rural Science/ Food technology and generally teaching responsibility etc. The Head is in agreement but sad there is a "animal Husbandry Policy" in existence, but we can't find it. I've tried DEFRA but no luck. Can anyone give me a link? Ta Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Egluntyne Posted January 28, 2008 Share Posted January 28, 2008 Have "googled" and can't find anything obvious. Maybe if you ring DEFRA they will be able to point you in the right direction. How fab that the Head is considering it though. You will need to do risk assessments etc, but you will have thought of that already I'm sure. Good luck. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dogduck Posted January 28, 2008 Share Posted January 28, 2008 Have "googled" and can't find anything obvious. Maybe if you ring DEFRA they will be able to point you in the right direction. How fab that the Head is considering it though. You will need to do risk assessments etc, but you will have thought of that already I'm sure. Good luck. hi wot a good thing the teacher wants to do will show kids were eggs come from not just from shops like some think we had chickens in school when i was a kid (70/80's) wots the world comeing to when you need rich assessments just to keep chooks will you need a lawers when when of the kids its picked by 1 or fells ill if near them !! wish you all the best pleace let us know i9f you do it Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
welsh sarah Posted January 28, 2008 Share Posted January 28, 2008 sounds a great plan, but what about in the summer holidays. i used to take the guinea pigs home from my school and look after them, but chickens might be a little more difficult. not meaning to be a party pooper sarah Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bronze Posted January 28, 2008 Share Posted January 28, 2008 My school (primary) had chickens. We were quite often the people who went in and looked after them. At Christmas they went home with someone so they could be shut in at night but during the summer we just went to feed them and collect eggs. They were in a fox proof area though (internal courtyard). I guess you will have to make sure you have all areas such as holiday time care covered. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
peanut12 Posted January 28, 2008 Author Share Posted January 28, 2008 indeed. Many staff who live locally have agreed to come in during holidays on a rota, which is great. Our plan is also to house them in a run in an internal courtyard so no predatory risk. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shirl Posted January 28, 2008 Share Posted January 28, 2008 Omlet have a bit aimed at schools and they mention reisk assesments and the like in there. http://www.omlet.co.uk/products_services/products_services.php?view=Schools&about=faq#holiday Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lizinsa Posted January 29, 2008 Share Posted January 29, 2008 I contacted Omlet about this in the past and despite what their website says they do not have a downloadable risk assessment but can put you in touch with the right people. I will PM you an email I have from Johannes about the matter. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
piggysnorting Posted January 29, 2008 Share Posted January 29, 2008 I'd love to see whether this project got off the ground and hear how it went. I teach at a school for children with behavioural issues and think that bringing animals into school could be good for them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jules. Posted January 29, 2008 Share Posted January 29, 2008 What a great idea When I was in the infants we had a tank with frog spawn in it Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ain't Nobody Here Posted January 29, 2008 Share Posted January 29, 2008 I took some eggs in to the Home Ec teacher yesterday who was really chuffed. She said she's going to do an egg project with the kids soon . I said "I could bring a chicken in" but she thought not ('elf & safety ) but maybe I could investigate further . She wants some photos though (let me see, have I got any? ) Anyone who has taken a chook to school - how did your school go about it? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Christian Posted January 29, 2008 Share Posted January 29, 2008 You probably need bio hazard suits for all the children! The world's gone mad! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Egluntyne Posted January 29, 2008 Share Posted January 29, 2008 I took two of my girls in last year. We set them up outside and the classes took it in turns to come and have a look and a 5 minute chat by me. The school site manager....an absolute star...made a small pen for them.....in his words...."in case they did a runner". We didn't let the children handle the chooks, but they were allowed to throw them a few treats. I took in pots of pellets and grit for the children to have a look at. We talked about the fox and rats and the importance of looking after the hens properly. I downloaded some of the Omlet school stuff and gave it to the teachers. The thing that caused the most interest was the topic of Poo. They were fascinated by that. We kept the whole thing simple. It worked well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
peanut12 Posted January 29, 2008 Author Share Posted January 29, 2008 I found the risk assessment on the Omlet site, it's under the products section in Schools. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lizinsa Posted January 29, 2008 Share Posted January 29, 2008 I'm really glad they've brought it back, it will make it much easier to persuade anxious Heads about the joys of chickens! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chickybaby Posted January 29, 2008 Share Posted January 29, 2008 Also CLEAPSS, which is a school science service, produce fantastic guides on all things science.....they have one on Incubating & Hatching Eggs which does include lots of info on keeping chickens at school. I'm a school science technician and we use the service often, your school may already be a member. They also have a fantastic advice line and will do risk assessments etc for you but you do need to be a member. Look up their website www.cleapss.org.uk or telephone 01895 251496 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
little chickadee Posted January 29, 2008 Share Posted January 29, 2008 My son is suspected to be on the Autistic Spectrum, and we have found that the responsiblity of looking after the Chickens has been really good for him. I hope that anyone wanting to set this up in schools will get the go ahead Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gooner.girl Posted January 29, 2008 Share Posted January 29, 2008 My secondary school had a farm - it was very Pigs, cows, sheep, chickens... Instead of one of my GCSES i did an NVQ in Agriculture instead - clipping piglets toenails was way more fun then sitting in a classroom! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chicken Licken Posted January 29, 2008 Share Posted January 29, 2008 I'd love to have chookies at school, I think it would be great for them to have responsibility for care and cleaning (SEN sixth form) but the others are not so sure - I am of course a convert - we will see. I already come and go throughout the summer to manage our greenhouse produce and the chickens would be much more portable than the plants are - hmmm. Just one little eglu with 3 or perhaps 4 chooks...hhmmm Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AJuff Posted January 31, 2008 Share Posted January 31, 2008 My head was dead set against keeping school hens. She point blank refused even to discuss the idea and the science coordinator had a fit, waving around health and safety booklets in my face. How did we ever get from keeping a friendly furry guinea pig in a classroom to being so far removed from animals now? Class pets didn't ever kill anyone!!!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
peanut12 Posted February 6, 2008 Author Share Posted February 6, 2008 Just to keep everyone updated, took my proposal to the Head today. He is in full agreement - he has asked me to speak to the Chair of Governors out of courtesy but it looks like we're going ahead. YAY!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
little chickadee Posted February 6, 2008 Share Posted February 6, 2008 Yay - well done Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bronze Posted February 6, 2008 Share Posted February 6, 2008 Oh brilliant Now can you get them to stretch to an eglu? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted February 7, 2008 Share Posted February 7, 2008 Maidenbower Junior School in Crawley, Sussex keeps hens. The caretaker looks after them. I just thought I'd mention it in case anyone wanted to contact them and ask about the procedures they had to go through. It isn't anything to do with me, except that we go to Stagecoach there on a Saturday. (It was at a SC summer school that DS (then 7) saw the hens and asked to keep them at home.) http://www.maidenbowerjunior.w-sussex.sch.uk/ - the chickens are pictured on their home page. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Egluntyne Posted February 7, 2008 Share Posted February 7, 2008 Fantastic news. Sounds a newspaperworthy story to me. You might find yourself plastered all over the front page of the local rag! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...