The Prep classes recently had the opportunity to hatch chicks inside an incubator in each Prep classroom. We were excited to see the chicks emerge from their eggs. The children were sometimes cheering them on as they did so! After hatching, they were moved from the incubator into the pen and we were able to watch them grow over two weeks. We did get to give a few little snuggles to the chicks in that time, too. Families were able to adopt the chicks after the program was finished.

Hatching chicks in our classroom was quite special; however, as there always is in creation, there are times when things don’t quite go as you expect. One little chick had been struggling for quite a long time to emerge and was very weakly chirping from inside the partially cracked egg. When a “help” phone call was made to the Maintenance Department on a Monday morning… we were not expecting a good outcome. Scott Hendriks, the College’s landscaping and gardening expert, came to assist us. Scott listened patiently to our concerns and then took this “chirping egg” away.

The school day began and the class had one of those “Circle-of-Life” discussions, followed quickly with “Hey, look how many chicks we DO have” when Mr Hendricks walked into the room. In his hands was a tiny, fragile bundle – cold and weak, but very much alive. “Scotty” (the chick) was quickly popped into the incubator and we waited to see how things went.

Scotty slowly recovered and, although not “thriving” as yet, is well on the way. He/She has a new home at Mrs Cruise’s place with a few of her sisters and brothers. Scotty is growing stronger every day, thanks to our hero – gardener extraordinaire and chook champion, Scott Hendriks.

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The Prep Team.