MacArthur Middle School welcomes four baby chicks

The population of MacArthur Middle School increased by four over the weekend. These newcomers won’t require desks or lockers nor are they taking up much space – at least at the present.

The four newcomers are baby barnyard chicks which hatched in Colby Turner’s Farm to Table classroom. Turner was hoping for a dozen babies, but not all of the eggs hatched. The ones that did are getting used to their new surroundings.

They will spend at least the next six weeks in the brooder box until they are large enough to go outside. Eventually they will join the other chickens in the two coops behind the school. Right now the fuzzy little ones are enjoying the warmth and safety of their new home and the students are enjoying their company.

Seventh-grader Ayden Ruhe, 13, was one of the first students to hold the new chicks.

“They are feathery and soft,” he said. Ayden is no stranger to newborn chickens. He lives on a farm with cows, horses and, yes, chickens.

“They’re cute,” Ayden said of the new classroom occupants. “They will be a good addition to the flock out there.”

Turner said the experience of hatching chickens is good for his students.

“Initially, I would like for them to experience the whole hatching process,” he said.

Unfortunately, the students missed seeing these four eggs hatch. The baby chicks arrived while the students were out of the classroom. They might have another opportunity to see the process.

Flying M Game Bird and Poultry of Bray recently donated two dozen chicken eggs to the program, Turner said. A dozen will be zombie chickens, a cross between an Ayam Cemani rooster – which is solid black – and a white Leghorn hen.

Turner anticipates the new offspring will join these four babies in about three weeks. And he hopes that this time his students will get to observe the hatching process.