The Durkin Bulldog's Farm Club
Donation protected
As the Durkin Library, we participated in an embryology and incubation project this spring and successfully hatched 24 chicks. For the students, parents, and teachers, this was an amazing experience to watch our eggs, become fuzzy little chicks and now young chickens losing their fluff and growing feathers. We successfully placed 18 chickens with families from Chicago to Minooka. Our wish is to keep 6 hens in a large coop and pen at our school. Students are excited about starting a farm and garden club that will care for the chickens, collect the eggs, and take the chickens out for recess duty. The goal is to have the students take full care and responsibility for our feathered friends. The funds that we are hoping to raise will be used to purchase a large 5x10 covered dog run (Menards) that will serve as the chickens outdoor pen during the day when they are not hanging with the students. We are in need of a large coop (the 6x8 Craftsman from My Pet Chicken) that will accommodate the chickens, their nesting boxes, food, water, bedding, cleaning materials, brooms, and rakes. We will also need to purchase larger feeders, water dispensers (heated for the winter), and other chicken-related accessories and supplies.
We realize that this is no small endeavor however the chickens have brought the students and staff such joy. Many of the students have never experienced being close to or holding a chicken. Sitting and watching them has had a calming effect on students who have difficulty being still or quiet. Teachers and parents have also sat and shared their stories of growing up on farms and raising chickens as small children. Undoubtedly, the chickens have begun bringing us together, helping us form a strong and more connected community. Our wish is to keep our feathered friends, to learn lessons about life and love- to care for each other and our earth.
Organizer
Mary Kay Nielsen
Organizer
Chicago, IL
