HENRY COUNTY SCHOOL SYSTEM
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
CONTACT: Susan Burton
Communications Director
Puryear, TN – Everyone is talking about the price of eggs these days. At D & N Harrelson Elementary School, the price is three eggs for a dollar. The money collected supports the FFA chapter who takes care of the rooster and the chickens residing at the school.
Teacher and FFA sponsor, John Hinson, supports his students’ interests in farming and business by giving them an opportunity to have a small chicken coop. The students take care of the chickens by feeding them, changing the water, moving the coop and the run to offer fresh grass, and collecting the eggs from the laying boxes.
Hinson can give a history of the project and explains, “The rooster was donated but all the hens were raised here at school after a unit on poultry. The students that year conducted research on different breeds and then voted them down to the "Royal Red" breed we have outside now.”
When asked how he used this project to teach students about agribusiness, a popular career choice in our area, Hinson says the eggs the chickens lay are sold to the teachers at school. “We use that money to offset the price of feed/supplies for the chickens. We were able to buy a better and larger pen this year with some of the proceeds.”
The school’s nutrition department is also supportive of the business by giving the group the leftover fruits from the share table. Many times, fruits that are put on the share table are never eaten so the cafeteria offers the scraps to the FFA members to feed the chickens. The school is proud of its self-sustaining project and the joy it provides for the students.
Hinson is proud of his students for their dedication to the project. “We have a core group of students who really enjoy taking care of the chickens. Each of the hens has a special leg band that lets the students identify which chicken they are responsible for.
During warmer weather, we put vests on them and take them for walks which earn them special treats if they cooperate. They have personalities just like people and some enjoy this activity more than others. Chickens can remember over 100 different faces and they show attachments to our students that interact with them the most.”
Hinson and his class are currently building a chick brooder to raise chickens this year.
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Photo: Harrelson students, JaLeigh Hauhe, Ella Dicus, and Addilynn Forrest are catching a hen to take for a walk with a special chicken vest.