Eggs can hatch on weekends when no one is in school to care for the chicks. The heat may be turned off for the weekend causing the chicks to become crippled or die in the shell. Some teachers even remove an egg from the incubator every other day and open it up to look at the chick in various stages of development, thus adding the killing of innocent life to the child's experience. When the project is over, these now unwanted birds may be left in boxes in the main office for many hours without food, water, or adequate ventilation waiting for the district science coordinator to collect them for disposal. The emotional involvement of people goes beyond our counselling capacity.
Some children do learn the truth, however.
Fortunately, more and more parents and educators are urging alternatives to these insensitive projects. These caring educators have demonstrated their concern, as well as the concern of their coworkers and the children's parents, as to the unusual amount of cruelty to animals that this project entails and its negative educational value. Increasing urbanization enormously compounds the problem. Normal flocks have several female birds to one male, and roosters crow before dawn. Unfortunately, half of all chickens born are males.