We were the first family to care for the chickens over the break.  We looked after them for a week. They were super cute. Shelby, her Grandpa, and I worked as a team to give the chicks fresh water and food daily, clean bedding and lots of cuddles. They have pretty big personalities for being so tiny! We miss them already and are super excited to see them in their home in the fall.

Sadly, chicken Freddie past away last month at 36 months old. She past away from a combination of cold temperatures and old age. We wish her well on her next adventure. On March 27, 2019, our current beloved chickens have gone off to a new home with Mr. Callum, our chicken expert, in exchange for newly fertilized eggs. We will receive the new eggs shortly after spring break. Until then we will be doing a chicken coop deep clean and cleanse for the new chicks!!!

Big changes are afoot for our Alpenglow chickens!

​After careful consideration and consultation with our chicken expert, Mr. Callum, it has been decided that the current cohort of chickens, raised by Alpenglow students in 2017, will be relocated to join Mr. Callum's brood of chickens. This spring Alpenglow students will raise a new cohort of chicks which will eventually move into the chicken coop to live and lay eggs happily. We will begin this process right after Spring Break by incubating chicken eggs in the Gr. 3/4 classroom. Our Grade 3 students, who will be studying Life Cycles for our next science unit, will be closely monitoring the eggs, and once hatched they will care for the new chicks until the late spring/early summer when they will be ready to move into the coop. Observing and caring for the eggs and chicks will provide rich experiential learning opportunities directly tied to science, health and other areas of study.  

Keep watch here in the coming months as we follow the new eggs/chicks as they hatch & grow!

They are laying lots of eggs lately.  They love to eat dandelions from the school garden. They do not peck you.  

Our Silkie (breed) chicken passed away a few weeks ago.  Her name is Leonardo.  In February our chickens, including Leonardo, earned two first places and a second place in a chicken show (the North-Central Alberta Poultry Association Show; website:http://www.ncapoultrya.com).  Leonardo was on of the first place winners.

The chickens love to cuddle.  They are a little noisy.  Our class has been needing more egg cartons, and has lots of eggs to give to families.  They love to eat food scraps like lettuce, spinach and apples.  They will keep laying lots of eggs in good condition if they are taken care of well. ​

The Alpenglow chickens got a visit from Alberta's minister of Education David Eggen this past Monday morning!  

Take a look at the Banff Crag and Canyon's article on his visit!
http://www.thecragandcanyon.ca/2018/04/18/provincial-minister-of-education-goes-to-the-birds-in-canmore
​

A few of the Alpenglow chickens are back from their recent competition at the North Central Alberta Poultry Show in Wetaskiwin, Alberta (http://www.ncapoultrya.com/index.html) and have won medals in each event they participated in!  They have won two first place ribbons and one second place ribbon!
Congratulations to the Alpenglow and CCHS students that have been instrumental in their safe keeping and care!  You have been doing an amazing job and it shows.  Keep up the fantastic work!

​We can now look forward to a future poultry show competition in a Provincial wide event this summer. 

​Student update written by Kacee and Renee - Chicken experts!

As the new school year is here, our chickens are beginning to molt (which means lose all their feathers!). Now that our chickens are full grown, our average number of eggs a day is around six.  Over the weekends we can normally collect about one dozen.  Now that we have so many eggs we are distributing them to Alpenglow families, for a donation.  If you receive a email from Alpenglow school you are welcome to come to Canmore Collegiate during a normal school day and give a donation. Our friend from the town of Canmore Mr, Burt came for a chicken coop tour recently and really liked it! We appreciate his support and look forward to the future with our chickens!