Students in the CTE’s AgriScience program hatched 17 quail eggs this winter!
Guided by teacher Mark Willis and parapro Meg Cooper this project began with the donation of 3 dozen quail eggs from Purely Poultry out of Wisconsin.
The class received 3 dozen fertilized eggs from the company and kept them in an incubator for 23 days. Throughout the 23 days, students rotated the eggs daily, added water to the incubator for humidity, and essentially “played mom” for the eggs. They even did something called “candling” to find the eggs that were alive and which eggs had yolked.
On Day 23, 17 of the eggs hatched!
Once hatched, they dried out in the incubator before being relocated to a tub with mulch, a water tray, and heat lamps. To show the birds where the water was, students dipped their heads into the water, and placed rocks in the tray to prevent the birds from drowning.
Throughout the next few weeks, students will take weight and length measurements to monitor the bird’s growth. Once the birds are big enough, students will move them to the barn and acclimate them to a cooler climate. Eventually, the birds will be released to live a life outdoors.
This sort of project is a great way for students to see first-hand what they’re learning in the classroom and get a taste of what they could do in the industry. Parapro, Meg Cooper, shares that the industry is so much more than farming. Ranging from natural resources, wildlife, forestry, even vet services, they cover a lot in the AgriScience program! The variety of projects students participate in throughout the year gives them a great taste of potential careers they can find in the industry.
CTE Programs, like AgriScience, are all about hands-on learning and successfully opening the door wide to future careers. To learn more about the CTE and the 13 programs offered, follow the link: wsesd.org/page/career-and-technical-education.