Concerned and need some advice

[Jamesy_uk]

I work in IT for a secondary school and I found out last week they were getting chickens. Now for the concerned part they put them in on Friday, as far as I can see nobody has been in over the weekend and the chickens are out of water and food. I am this close to calling someone if I dont see anyone come in to tend them within the next few hours. I have given them water but the only thing I can see food wise about here is some bread I have and weetabix would either of those do them for food in a pinch?

[Jamesy_uk]

Someone just came in to check on them and clean up, voiced some mild dissaproval which I would like to hope gets the message accross.

[Suechooks]

Well done you! This is the down-side of schools keeing chickens or indeed any livestock. I've just spent the weekend dissuading my SIL that its NOT a good idea to get some sweet little chicks for her primary school! I know she would be responsible for caring for them but when she goes on holiday.............?

[Nicos]

Lets hope they listen to you!!!!

Good to see the gals have you on the look out for them!

[Glutton4...]

Jamesy, that makes me SOOOOOOOO CROSS! How are they going to teach Children to be responsible, when they can't even manage that themselves. If there's no one interested enough the VERY FIRST weekend, what the BLEEEEP is going to happen when the novelty has worn off!!!!!?

*** wanders off with blood boiling.....

[Flummery]

If they think it's okay for a weekend, what's going to hapen over the extended bank holidays - or even the Easter Break?

[BigShot]

I know she would be responsible for caring for them but when she goes on holiday.............?

From a family of teachers... the holidays are about the biggest draw to the job for me (not that I'm becoming one... yet) - it sounds to me that if she took on chooks she'd effectively be giving up that part of the job... which is just crazy when you consider the hours teachers have to work doing marking, planning, reporting, training, preparing for inspections, parents evenings... etc. etc. etc.

You'd have to be SERIOUSLY nuts to throw away the holidays for some cute, fluffy chicks that will stop being cute and fluffy before anyone has a chance to notice it.

[Hilary B]

To answer the original question, crumbled weetabix would probably be better than starving. Not what you could call good chicken food, but it would have some food value. Breadcrumbs fit the same description, IF dry and stale. Fresh, moist, soft breadcrumbs can sometimes ferment inside a grain-eating creature, and it isn't healthy!

[Suechooks]

From a family of teachers... the holidays are about the biggest draw to the job for me (not that I'm becoming one... yet) - it sounds to me that if she took on chooks she'd effectively be giving up that part of the job... which is just crazy when you consider the hours teachers have to work doing marking, planning, reporting, training, preparing for inspections, parents evenings... etc. etc. etc.

You'd have to be SERIOUSLY nuts to throw away the holidays for some cute, fluffy chicks that will stop being cute and fluffy before anyone has a chance to notice it.

You got me wrong there BigShot - I meant when she was AWAY on holiday - as in 2 weeks a year! She is an extremely responsible animal owner and has had cats dogs horses etc for many years so is more than aware of the level of care required for any pet.

[BigShot]

Sue... the teachers I know make the most of their time off and get away as often as they can. Sorry about that.

From what you said it seemed like it might have been an "aww, cute" thing - but if she's already committed to animals she'll be well aware. Still, unless she was absolutely sure she was able to rely on someone else to look after them when she was *away*... she'd be throwing those two weeks away.

Did you manage to convince her? Or is she still considering it?

[Suechooks]

I think it was because she saw my 2 week old chicks! It's a small village school and they have a new pond and vegetable garden etc etc and I suspect she was thinking only of things to enrich the childrens education. She's decided to let the local wildlife move in I think - they don't need care in the hols so seems like a wise move!

[BigShot]

We had a pond at my high school.
BIG trouble if we went anywhere near it though. Absolutely crackers.
The one time I got anywhere near it was a somewhat dull science lesson where they managed to take almost all the fun out of microscopy for me... a self confessed nerd who loves things like that.

Those kids are lucky to have a teacher like your SIL.

[francesbean]

Breadcrumbs fit the same description, IF dry and stale. Fresh, moist, soft breadcrumbs can sometimes ferment inside a grain-eating creature, and it isn't healthy!

Thanks for this HilaryB I didn't know that about bread - as sometimes I give them the last bit of stale loaf and moisten it - I'll stop doing that.

francesbean

[motherhen]

This is quite concerning, I am coming across this more and more, as you say if a school or any other community decide to take on any sort of livestock then, who is to have the responsibility at holiday times is one of the problems encountered.
As Glutton4 says how does that teach children resposible animal care! surely the children and their parents should share, this is all part keeping any animal. It always makes me soooooo mad as these are the sort of people that would call the farmers 'wicked'.

[Hilary B]

Thanks for this HilaryB I didn't know that about bread - as sometimes I give them the last bit of stale loaf and moisten it - I'll stop doing that.

francesbean

If it has gone stale and been dampened (like making a wet mash instead of a dry powdery one) that is usually OK if they eat it at once. It's when it has stayed fresh that it can be harmful. I don't know quite how it works, but bread seems to have a totally different texture when it has been dry and then moistened, compared with fresh, and as far as I can understand it is that texture that can be risky.