Egg Hatching at the Library

Welcome to Egg Hatching at the Library 2009

Hatching chicks at the library began in the Spring of 2000 when a young girl asked Librarian Laura how to hatch and raise baby chicks. She desperately wanted to raise them but lived in a big house in the suburbs where raising chickens was not allowed. After a few meetings with library staff we decided hatching chicks at the library would be a fun project for the community to enjoy.

Through the help of our Purdue Extension Educator we secured a hatcher for the last week of incubation and hatched duck and chicken eggs for a period of about 10 days.

One night it was difficult to close the library. A chick was hatching infront of about 10 children and their parents. We sadly closed the doors and had to wait until the next day to see the results. The next year our Information Services manager organized a Live Web Camera where everyone could watch the eggs hatch 24/7.

Children also asked if they could take the chicks home. Knowing most of the children could not keep them we decided to create a program where children could adopt them for a few days or up to two weeks. The children were trained and had to pass a test to insure the safety and health of the chicks as well as themselves. The program has grown with the addition of library programs about chicks and a large collection of chicken books and movies.

This year we will hatch chicks the week of May 4th. During that week we will hatch White Leghorns. As the chicks hatch they will be sent home with trained Foster Chick Parents who will keep a diary and share their experience with friends and neighbors.

This year we are adding a blog to answer questions and post information as it is requested.