They’re cute, fluffy and kids absolutely adore them - but what happens to classroom-hatched chicks after their two weeks is up? The reality isn’t nearly so cute.

WRITTEN BY

Andrew Gough is Media & Education Coorindator at Surge.

Many of us have fond childhood memories of animals in the classroom, be they hamsters, silkworms or chicks. It’s very understandable why teachers would think these programmes are a good idea - what better way to educate young minds on the cycle of life and responsibility than to actually hatch and raise live animals.

In our recent video - Why don't vegans eat backyard eggs? - we introduced you to Amelia, Grace and Edith, three very lucky rescue hens now in the care of a member of the Surge team. Amelia, a ‘commercial’ brown hen, came from a hatching project at a school in Leeds, following an urgent call from a concerned teacher who happened to be vegan and therefore conscious of their fate.

As for the pupils, it was clear that while saying their tearful goodbyes they had no idea where the chicks would have gone had they not been rescued. This must be a story repeated countless times up and down the country every year.

WHAT DOES HAPPEN TO THE CHICKS?

There are several companies that provide hatching programmes for schools - the Leeds chicks came from a company called Living Eggs, whose website is fairly clear on what occurs past two weeks. Taken from their Chicken Welfare page:

“We ethically place all chicks at the end of the Programme. We have many free-range farms across the country who rear our chicks in delightful surroundings. Many also go to smallholders, enthusiasts and hobbyists. Some schools, nurseries and care homes decide to keep their chicks and raise them into fully grown hens.”

The emphasis at the end is on hens, who of course have more apparent value because they are likely to go on to lay eggs. However, what Living Eggs fails to mention is the fate that awaits the male chicks, who are almost universally unwanted. Even when re-homing Amelia and her siblings - three girls and six boys - finding a home for the fledgeling cockerels was no easy task.

Male chickens can be aggressive, noisy and will fertilise eggs if given half a chance. Due to their early-morning crowing, they are often unsuitable for many gardens, with neighbours only having to place a quick call to the council. For all these reasons, plus the very simple fact that they are economically unviable in the eyes of any farmer, the prospects for male chicks is grim, to say the least.

The Happy Chick Company, another hatching programme provider, has rather more realistic and honest things to say on the matter. Taken from What Happens to the Chicks:

“We think it’s important that the males experience a quality of life also. Yet, we are realistic. As difficult a subject as this may be, (and a great discussion topic in the classroom), we understand that many males are destined ‘for the pot’. But up until that point, they also deserve to run in the sun, chase the insects and feel the grass under their feet. That is why we ask our customers who wish to keep the chicks, to ‘look at the bigger picture’ and rehome them all.”

The message there is a cautionary one, which is somewhat more scrupulous than Living Eggs who no doubt prefer not to bring up the unpleasant truth for fear of putting off customers. While hatching chicks may teach children responsibility, it is the teachers' and indeed parents who should shoulder the real burden. Rescue shelters and sanctuaries must not be relied upon when they are already under enormous pressure.

The third provider we’re highlighting, Incredible Eggs, provides an even starker message albeit buried away in the very last point of their FAQ section:

“If the rearing of farm animals for food or the culling of excess cockerels is something you find unacceptable, regardless of how ethically and humanely it may be practised, hatching projects are unlikely to be the right choice for you. Please beware of those hatching providers who claim otherwise or who choose to provide little/no information on this subject.”

The British Hen Welfare Trust (BHWT) has a welfare stance on hatching programmes that is worth reading, although we’ll sum it up and tell you they’re roundly against them:

“Even the most attentive class teacher may struggle to give the eggs and chicks the full care they need. Fertilised eggs are turned by a mother hen around 30 times a day to ensure the chicks inside the egg don’t get stuck to the eggshell, which can result in injury or death. Eggs and chicks may also be left unattended over long periods such as evenings and weekends, meaning their needs may not be met during these times.”

Nevermind the care concerns, from an ethical vegan-abolitionist viewpoint there are deeper issues. Even if good homes could be secured for all male and female chicks before engaging in a hatching programme, and even if they were all vegan homes where the females’ eggs would be fed back to them, we could not condone any such enterprise. These hatching companies source the eggs from different places - some get them from farms, others maintain their own flocks to which the chicks will return. As such, the ‘ethics’ of a provider will vary between various shades of grey - as in from not very, to as best as they can manage.

ETHICAL ALTERNATIVES

Hatching projects will always encourage the breeding of chickens for profit. Education is important, but when it involves the needless exploitation of living beings then alternatives must be found. Fortunately, such alternatives exist:

• PETA has a page dedicated to the subject, on which are listed many alternatives - thankfully, even though it is US-focused, all the resources can be accessed online including a 21-day ‘virtual incubator’.

• For a more hands-on experience, find your local sanctuary and enquire about opportunities for educational visits (bearing in mind COVID restrictions). Just being around animals in such a setting can provide discussion points and learning cues, but it also encourages support for local sanctuaries who are always in need of help, awareness and of course donations!

• BHWT has its own educational programme, specifically designed to address hatching programmes. In light of COVID-19, the hands-on experience is currently on hold, but BHWT can provide mini-workshops and Q&A sessions via video link.

WHAT CAN I DO?

• Teachers: If you know these programmes happen at your school, please say something. We’re grateful to the vegan teacher who told us about Amelia and her brothers and sisters, but it could easily have been too late for them. Speak to the headteacher, or the school board, about never engaging with a hatching provider.

• Parents: Write to the headteacher, school board or raise it during a PTA meeting to voice your disapproval of such programmes. If your child comes home and tells you that they have chicks in their classroom, speak to the teacher about the care and re-homing provisions. Look into the provider and see where they stand ethically, and lodge your complaints accordingly… and vociferously.

• Everyone else: Share this post with teacher and parent friends. Don’t feel as if you have to provide a home to hatched chicks, but if you do, do plenty of research (they’ll need to be kept under a heat lamp and warm until their mature feathers develop) and feed their eggs back to them. If you decide to take on a male chick, not all will grow up to be aggressive. There are ways to help them grow accustomed to being around humans. Morning crowing will always be an issue, so think about your neighbours.