Sustainable Chicken Challenge

This year, the Junior College has set out to integrate our Chicken Coop as a source of connection and relevance across all Prep – Year 5 classes and key learning areas. Term 1 has been taken on by the Year 3 classes and they have tackled the challenge with gusto. Last week, students cleared and cleaned the chicken coop, removing a large amount of waste and rubbish.  

With the coop looking fabulous, students turned to our feathered tenants. In groups of three, they conducted a nine-point health check on our seven chickens. They checked the health, the mood and weighed the chickens in. It was more challenging than most of the students anticipated, but all our chickens passed the test!

With everything looking great and a roster established to ensure that our chickens remain well fed and watered, we thought we’d be able to relax but sadly NO! Predators! We identified two very large goannas in the area. After consulting with Australia Zoo staff over the phone, we were told they could not be moved or relocated, as they are native Australian wildlife. 

We then discussed what would be needed to keep our chickens safe and happily laying eggs. The students came up with an extensive list of suggestions. Following is our top 5:

• Provide fencing that the predators (goannas and snakes) can’t climb through – Charlie
• Create a new pipe system for supplying water – Monty
• Enclose the pen and creating a roof, so that the goannas cannot enter over the top – Jemma
• Trial different materials for the pen roof as the tin would be extremely hot for them – Hayley
• Research and create natural traps outside of the coop, to deter predators – Carter

We recognise that we will need some help to meet these project goals, so if anyone in the community has any ideas or suggestions or donations to make, please contact Mrs Lu Pollard at: lpollard@pacluth.qld.edu.au.

We will continue to share our progress throughout this project.

Mrs Lu Pollard, Year 3 Teacher