Clayhall primary school welcomes six new feathered friends

Pupils at a Clayhall primary school have made six new friends of the feathered variety that are helping them learn about caring for the environment.

Gilbert Colvin School in Strafford Avenue, Clayhall, has welcomed six hens to their school grounds and 10 year 5 pupils are currently training to look after them.

The young birds are being kept in fox-proof plastic coops known as Eglus from a company called Omlet.

They are set back from the playground to give the hens peace and quiet, next to a vegetable patch which the children are also learning to tend.

Headteacher Debbie Wiles said: “We have room to have 10 chickens to start with.

“We thought we’d let the children learn how to look after them before we start expanding.

“The expectation is the hens will produce six eggs a day each.”

The Year 5 pupils take a test next week to become the school’s official chicken handlers and lessons are planned to involve all the pupils in learning about them.

Soon, older pupils will start costing and selling the eggs to parents.

After collecting three eggs to be used by the school’s cook for lunch on Thursday, Musa, 10, said: “We love working with the chickens even though they sometimes peck us.

“We spend most of our breaks with them.”

The school’s green credentials mean it is going for a national Eco-Schools Award next week.

They are hoping for a Bronze award after an assessment by inspectors.