Chicks hatch in Fitch zoology class

By AMANDA TONOLI

atonoli@vindy.com

AUSTINTOWN

Chicks hatched at Austintown Fitch High School in a zoology class this week.

Students were enthralled to see the process of the eggs incubating and then later hatching, producing baby chickens.

“It was so cool,” said zoology teacher Stacey Sahli. “They’re absolutely adorable.”

Junior and senior zoology students and sophomore biology students got to enjoy the incubation and hatching process of the eggs.

Sahli obtained the chick eggs from a science catalog she orders from every year using student fees for the class.

The eggs were in an incubator for 21 days and hatched shortly after.

Two hatched Wednesday during school hours and two hatched Wednesday night – something students could view from home with the live camera setup.

“They are so cute and fluffy,” said student Elise Williams. “I won’t ever hurt [the] little guy.”

Sahli said watching the students was a fun aspect of the project.

“It was nice seeing the students’ reactions when they came to school ... and saw the little chicks hatched,” she said.

The discussion it provoked made learning about science and animals very hands-on.

“I am so humbled by how much the students enjoy having them in the classroom and how much curiosity it sparks in their conversations,” Sahli said. “It makes all the work and preparation worth it.”

Sahli said she would most definitely order the eggs again for a repeat adventure.