Raising Chickens at Green Adventures Camp

Summer 2011

One of our missions this summer was to raise some backyard chickens with the campers at Green Adventures Camp.

We started with 14 eggs from a friendly, local farmer, Daniel Green, who was happy to let us raise some new chickens for his flock. The eggs began incubating on Thursday, June 9th, at Abbott school in Dave Szyzgiel's office space. We were preparing for them to hatch out during the first or second week of camp.

Unfortunately, we got a zero hatch rate and a PM showed that the eggs/embryo chicks had not developed at all. The incubator temperature was probably inconsistent and too high. That's reality when it comes to planned chicken parenthood.

When it became obvious that we were not hatching chickens, we found a source for newly hatched chicks and got six small chicks.

Of course, life is never that simple. Over the next weekend and Monday, Tuesday, 5 of the original six died. It may have been the airconditioning coming on and chilling them, we are not sure.

One lone survivor, a yellow chick we like to call either "Goldie" or "Fluffy" stayed with us and has thrived.

On Friday, July 15th, we got 4 more chicks and added them into the brooder, where they are all now living.

During the week of July 18 and the next week, the campers will be building a chicken coop so that the chicks can live at Lakewood until camp is over.

From July18 to the 22nd, we enjoyed watching the chicks grow. Goldie, our oldest chick, was raring to go out for a walk, so we took her outside for a while to see what she would do.

	Goldie loves to perch on Mary E's shoulder.

On Monday, July 25th, we took the chicks out

for some fresh air. We have given them all new names!

Week 5, July 24-29, the chicks continue to grow. Goldie is really wanting to get out and fly, peck, and see the world.

Here it is week 6, August 1st! The chicks enjoy having more space to run and play in. The coop is almost finished!

Week 7, August 8-12, 2011 The chickens are spending most of their time outdoors in the coop. My, how they've grown. They love to chase and eat the crickets and small insects we catch for them in the yard.

Week 8 and the chicks are ready to fly. They will be going to Green Acres to live this year!

Surprise! Here is a picture of the Green Adventures Chickens in their new setting at Green Acres Farm. It was taken on Sunday, September 18th, 2011. Thanks to Daniel and Norma Green.