Sunday 13 February 2011

Little yellow balls of fluff

I deliberately don't often talk about work, but occasionally something happens which is worth sharing.

This half term, our children have been learning about birds and migration. One of the many things which has happened is the borrowing of an incubator and a clutch of eggs. The children have watched in anticipation until, finally, the miracle happened and we walked in one morning to see four tiny chicks. By the following day, there were three more, making a total brood of seven.


They have grown at an incredible rate. I took these photos when the eldest were just 2 days old.


I have been fascinated watching them. They sleep so much and so suddenly. One second they are scurrying around climbing all over each other, and the next, eyes are rolling, legs sink and they fall asleep. After school on Friday, one fell asleep in my hand!


They are also very wobbly. Just like a human baby learning to walk, they stagger and suddenly collapse with a bump. I saw one chick take a few steps, stop with one leg raised, stand for a second and then keel over sideways.

The children are loving having them in school and will have a chance to see them up close and personal during next week, when the incubator will spend a day in each of the classrooms.

As I can't invite you over to see them, I took a video. Unfortunately, Blogger doesn't seem to want to play ball!! Maybe it's too big. When, or if, I work out how to edit it, or persuade Blogger that it DOES want to upload it, I'll post it for you to see.

8 comments:

  1. Aren't they just the most adorable little fluffy bundles! What will happen to them once they're deemed too big? I'm sure you're going to miss them :)

    Your pictures are excellent, H!

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  2. Why did we never do things like this when I was at school. Is it too late to sign up again?

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  3. Desiree - Thank you. Next Friday, when the school half term holiday begins, the chicks and incubator will return to the science education project which supplied us with them. The chicks will remain in the incubator until they are old enough to survive outside and then be re-homed in a farm which supports the project.

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  4. I've never had any luck uploading videos directly to blogger. I upload to YouTube and then embed.

    They always seem to find the weakest chick and gang up on him, pecking at him. That could be turned into another lesson for the kids if it happens.

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  5. I love the day that our day old chicks arrive here - they are so sweet. I've asked for a small incubator for the next significant gift-giving occasion...then I'll have fun!

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  6. Fantastic images! Love the 'R' post too!

    XOXO Lola:)

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  7. Fuzzy, and adorable. I can almost feel their fur over the screen..so soft and fluffy!

    Thank you for your comment, and you're the only one that understood the whole situation that I was trying to convey!

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  8. OMG. I'm dying. They are so cute it hurts my eyes. :)

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