The Nature’s Way chicken flock was first introduced in the spring of 2010 when we acquired ten chicks from the Knoxville Zoo’s incubation project.  At this time, a beautiful and spacious coop was built to accommodate our flock, along with an additional moveable coop that allows for our chickens to spend time in the grass outside of the Early Childhood Communities.

While all students in the school have opportunities to observe the chickens and enjoy feeding them daily food scraps from their classrooms, the Adolescent Community manages the flock.  AC students clean out the chicken coop, feed and water the chickens, and collect eggs daily.  The eggs are sold for the microeconomy or used in the community.  Additionally, students study the chickens for science occupations as a frame of reference for topics such as: anatomy and physiology, life cycles, behavioral sciences, reproduction, genetics and heredity, and evolutionary biology.  The chickens provide excellent entertainment in addition to opportunities for academic inquiry and practical life skills.