Installing Indoor Cat Tree

[The Dogmother]

Just seen a schools section on the club part of the website. I emailed James to see if they are thinking of going into schools, take a couple of chooks and talk about where food comes from etc.

 

Rosie's school are currently doing where food comes from/healthy eating, and took them to Morrisons(!). If I can get some time off work, I will ask the teacher if I can take a couple of the chooks in to show the kids and talk to them about the food chain etc. I dounbt if some of them have ever seen a live chook

 

I thought that the Omlet lads might even like to do it as the school is only down the road from them.

 

Sounds like to best education they can get

[james]

Hi,

 

Just to let you know that there will be more information about the Omlet Schools scheme appearing on the website in the next day or so.

 

Yours,

 

James

[SarahJo]

Thanks James .....

[The Dogmother]

FAB!

[Guest]

A Junior school near me actually keeps 3 chickens in the grounds. That must be really lovely for the children. They roam during the day - all around the car park as well!

[The Dogmother]

There's a secondary school in the next village, which has an organic farm, they have great open days where you can get to stroke the animals. Unfortunately it is too far away for Rosie to get into that school

[Lesley]

Time to sow peas Dan - have a look at the Gardening section

[The Dogmother]

You're quite right Dan, a colleague has 2 children (8 and 10) and she confessed that they have never seen a pea pod before - I jokingly told her that she was a bad mum and she went home to show them on the internet! What's wrong with buying some peas in a pod and having fun podding them?

 

My sister's two think that all food comes out of packets in the freezer and cooks in the microwave - they have never eaten or seen fresh food or done any baking! I wouldn't mind, but she doesn't even go out to work, so can't say that she doesn't have the time

 

I can feel a rant coming on here I daresay that Lesley will have something to say on the subject - she's a saint and grows all her own.

 

Which reminds me while I am on my rant - a friend in Norfolk has an organic smallholding, she often invites the children from the local school to see the veggies growing, then they go back and cook/bake on her range as the school doesn't have facilites for cooking.

[Guest]

My sister's two think that all food comes out of packets in the freezer and cooks in the microwave - they have never eaten or seen fresh food or done any baking! I wouldn't mind, but she doesn't even go out to work, so can't say that she doesn't have the time

 

I have to admit that until recently my lot had no real concept about where their food came from. Not that I spent my time feeding them ready meals, but I just never thought they would be interested in seeing mum bake, or make tea.

 

Since getting the chooks, I have realised just how much interest the kids have in it all, and they have enjoyed frequent visits to the City Farm to learn about animals other than chickens, and take a great interest in the goings on in the kitchen!

 

Sadly we don't really have room for a veggie patch, but am trying to get my name down for an allotment, but have noticed that, as well as eating eggs regularly for the first time ever, the amount of veg they are willing to eat has dramatically increased - if the chooks eat it, the kids will eat it!

[The Dogmother]

Good for you Shona!

 

I think that it's probably an age thing too; I just got Rosie eating the dreaded peas. They are doing this topic at school, and she was asking about a balanced diet and it went from there. Also I suggested that she ought to show a good example to the bunnies and chickens! She has actually found that she likes them, and has asked to try 'trees' (broccoli) next week

 

Like you, I'd love an allotment, but just don't have the time - when I retire...

[Lesley]

Clare said "I daresay that Lesley will have something to say on the subject - she's a saint and grows all her own."

 

A Saint?? I don't think so Clare!

[The Dogmother]

At any rate, I think you must have more brownie points than me by now! I'd love to grow my own - perhaps when Rosie is bigger and needs less looking after.....

[Cate in NZ]

Have you seen the updated schools section? It looks quite interesting, a great idea for schools to keep chickens, certainly in my experience children are really interested in the chickens, and it's a great way for them to get involved in animal care and seeing where eggs come from. To make it even better the Omlet team have prepared lesson plans, done the risk assessments, and will arrange delivery for assembly so that the staff and pupils can all watch the chicken care demo and ask questions . Sounds brill I wish my childrens schools had done it.

[The Dogmother]

I'm taking the chooks into school on Wednesday, so maybe they'll get an Eglu if they are impressed. Problem is that they have issues with low-life breaking into the school grounds after hours - goodness knows what they'd do to chooks living there!

[The Dogmother]

The chooks loved going into school and were far better behaved than some of the children!

 

They asked a lot of good questions and hopefully they gained from it too. The teacher, Rosie and I each held a chook on our lap while the children came to stroke them.

 

I printed off a quiz thingy from the school section (thanks James) for them to complete after I left - if they listened they will be able to answer it!

[Popcorn]

Sounds like a good productive day Clare - smiles all round then

 

Did the chooks leave any 'presents' behind?

[The Dogmother]

No, they were very well behaved, but I suspect that Sadie was busting to lay an egg as she was about due to! She kept her legs crossed, and Layla burbled away in her happy fashion. Ruby was just Ruby!

[Guest]

Well done Clare! I bet you felt really proud of your girls.

[Mel (& Paul)]

Well done Claire!!

I am so glad it went well

[The Dogmother]

You won't believe what a bad mum I was yesterday ... when we put the chooks back in the garden it was stair-rodding with rain, so I let them out of the box and kissed them goodbye before going back to work. When I got home later, I realised that I had forgotten to open the door to the run, so they hadn't had access to the Eglu. Sadie had been due to lay an egg, so I opened the door and went hunting round the garden for the egg - none to be found!

 

My lovely girl went squawking into the Eglu and laid her egg - she must have had her legs crossed all afternoon!

 

I felt so bad

[Popcorn]

Awwww....Clare. Don't feel bad.

 

It's probably like when you are bursting for a wee and have to hold it. When you finally get to a loo, you are so glad to have the release you forget all about the person who was hogging the toilet in the first place

[The Dogmother]

Thanks for that Gina, you made me feel tons better

[Popcorn]

You're welcome

[The Dogmother]

Now that's what I like, service with a smile

[Popcorn]

I'll look forward to the cheque in the post