Have you ever wondered what came first, the chicken or the egg?

At Chase Elementary, Cheviot Elementary, Pleasant Ridge Montessori and Rothenberg Preparatory Academy the students are working to figure that out.

Collectively the students are incubating 192 eggs which will hatch in late April or early May.

This annual program, provided by OSU Extension, takes students through the first phase of a life cycle.  The students care for and observe the eggs each day for 21 days and then spend time getting to know their recently hatched friends before they are given to local farmers and 4-H families.

Each day the students participate in an “eggy” activity and review the developmental process of the embryonic chick.  At the end of the 21 days most eggs will hatch however, some of the eggs do not hatch.  Students often struggle with reality but, through discussion the students learn some valuable life lessons.

Hatching chicken eggs is a deep and meaningful activity for most of the students.  At Rothenberg Preparatory Academy the students enjoy taking care of the eggs but, they also develop a profound appreciation for life.  The students ask questions about how to care for baby siblings, the needs of living things and how their own bodies process nutrients.

The “Chick Quest” program is available to any school or agency in Hamilton County through OSU Extension.  If you are interested in learning more about pricing options and how to get this program in your school,  please contact OSU Extension, Hamilton County at 513-946-8989.

To see what happens inside the egg during the 21 day incubation period, check out this video: