Chickens

  Moorooduc is a school, where the city meets the country and we draw our clients from a wide area. Some children live on small acreages and have parents who train horses or run poultry farms whilst others live near the foreshore or come from new housing developments and have parents who are professionals or tradespeople. It is a lovely melding of lifestyles to be valued and shared. 

The introduction of a small flock of chickens to care for began more than  four years ago.  A disused enclosure was turned into a chicken coop and some “battery hens” (Leghorns and Isa Browns) were rescued to become our first flock. The addition of the Environmental/Interactive garden next to the coop gave both children and chickens a lovely place to share. Students can be found drawing or writing whilst nearby, chickens are happily looking for interesting titbits to eat or taking dust baths. Several years ago the original chickens retired to Fulmen Park and a new flock of Pekins was kindly donated by the same family. In Term Four of 2006 three young Chinese Silkie Bantam hens were added to our flock.

The Silkies are different again to our Pekins. Both breeds till the soil, help keep weeds down in the garden and are made for lots of cuddling but it is really the appearance of the Silkie that makes them so interesting. Silkies are an ancient bread with a few unusual characteristics such as their nearly black skin, flesh,face, comb, wattles and bones. They also have five toes instead of four and amazing hair-like plumage.

Classes take turns during term to care for the chickens. Eggs are collected and used by the children to cook or conduct experiments. On weekends many families vie for the responsibility of being “Chicken Carers” and are encouraged to write, draw  and take photographs about their experience. These are published in our weekly newsletter. During School Holidays families take the chickens home for some much deserved R&R.

Moorooduc Primary School Chickens at the Red Hill Show

In 2005 Moorooduc Primary School was invited to create a display promoting the keeping of chickens in schools. 
We had originally only considered entering the rooster in the Poultry Division but jumped at the chance to share our chickens with the greater community when offered the opportunity. With the help of some parents we put on a magnificent display, with hundreds and hundreds of people eagerly holding our precious flock, thumbing through books produced by the children and viewing the many photographs that show what joy and learning the chickens bring to the children of Moorooduc.  We were so busy helping visitors that barely a photograph was taken and only a cursory glance was given to a famous Victorian, Geoffrey Rush!  Many, many people commented on how lucky our children were to have such a program, and we agree.