CHICKENS have been let loose at Wooragee Primary School and students are making their first step into the “egg business”.
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Former student Eiylish McRostie won the Ann Brimblecombe Memorial Award and it’s been put to good use.
A chicken coop has been built with the $2000 won for the school in 2012.
The award commemorates Sen-Constable Ann Brimblecombe, the North East’s road safety in schools officer, who was killed in a car accident in 2006.
“We wanted to spend the money on something that really interested the students,” principal Christine Varker said.
“The chicken coop came about through our Stephanie Alexander Kitchen Garden program which encourages us to live sustainably.”
Mrs Varker said the coop meant they would not have to buy eggs in the future for their cooking classes.
She said it also gave children an awareness about where their food came from.
“This helps reduce food miles and it teaches children about living sustainably and becomes part of their life philosophy,” she said.
Mrs Varker said there was an advantage to having chickens in a small school.
“It’s fantastic for any school but in a small school every child is involved in caring for the chickens,” she said.
“They will develop a sense of ownership and that is the beauty of it.”
The chicken coop houses five chickens and is fox, wedge-tailed eagle and possum proof.
“The children are waiting very patiently for the first egg to be laid,” Mrs Varker said.
