‘Egg’citing Times at The Old Station Nursery
News release
16th May 2013
Fluffy chicks are chirping up a storm at The Old Station Nursery at Lincoln Marina after hatching less than 24 hours ago.
Children at the nursery are now playing the role of mother hen to 12 new chicks, with three more expected to emerge from their shells any day. The new arrivals have come from the Happy Chick Company, which specialises in providing a complete chick hatching experience, with eggs delivered in an incubator just before they are ready to hatch.
Staff from the company, which prides itself on the ethical treatment of its chicks, set the incubators up on site and leave detailed instructions on how to care for the eggs and the resulting chicks. Once hatched, the chicks are then moved to a brooder box where they are kept warm and dry as they grow.
Senior nursery worker Rebecca Craigen, said: “The children have been so excited about having the chicks here. We are always trying to think of new and interesting ways to help the children learn, and this seemed like an ideal way to teach them about nature, being responsible and being kind to animals.
“Now they are hatched and dry and fluffy, the children have enjoyed watching their antics as they move about the box.”
The children are able to take them out for short periods of time to hold and stroke them, and can take turns in putting food and water into the box. The chicks will remain on site until Friday next week (24th May), before being taken to the Wragby Road nursery for a further week.
After that, they will be rehomed by The Happy Chick Company. Owner Madeline McRanor, said: “This is a wonderful way for children to experience how much joy new chicks can bring.
“I’m just so glad that we are able to bring such happiness to children. We give our chicks away to a variety of smallholders we know are looking to take on more chickens, so they go on to a happy life once they’ve brought joy to the nursery.
“Hopefully we enlighten people as to how much fun they can have bringing up chickens, and raise awareness of the better welfare standards for keeping chickens.”
Ends
Notes to editors:
- Sarah Steel set up The Old Station Nursery in Faringdon, Oxfordshire, in 2002 when she left the army and was unable to find suitable childcare for her two children
- The Old Station Nursery group has 10 settings in total in Lincolnshire Oxfordshire, Gloucestershire, Nottinghamshire and Buckinghamshire
- The Happy Chick Company provides chicks to nurseries, schools, colleges and care and retirement homes to give people the chance to see what caring for chickens is like
- The firm, which is sponsored by the Happy Egg Company, is based in Peterborough and works across Cambridgeshire, Huntingdonshire, Lincolnshire, Bedfordshire, South Yorkshire and Northamptonshire
- For more on The Happy Chick Company visit www.thehappychickcompany.co.uk
Cerri Delaney
Shooting Star PR
01522 528540
07985 143990
cerri@shootingstar-pr.co.uk
www.shootingstar-pr.co.uk
t: @CerriDelaney
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