(MENAFNEditorial) Chick hatching programme creates an appreciation of sustainability and nature in the midst of Dubai’s dense urban growth
Dubai UAE February 1 2016: Emirates Modern Poultry Co. also known as Al Rawdah has started a chick hatching community outreach programme that brings hands-on learning and an appreciation of natural science to Dubai’s schools. With Al Rawdah’s help children see the entire process of chick birth and growth first hand in the classroom gaining a new appreciation of animal welfare and the importance of rearing poultry in hospitable conditions.
Through this special program Al Rawdah donates comprehensive Hatching Kits to schools and dispatches its expert Hatching Staff to set up the apparatus. Each kit contains 10 fertilised eggs with embryos an incubator brooder box drinker and feeder natural feed and a detailed manual. Once the process is in place children can see first-hand the entire lifecycle of a chick.
The students are also taught how to monitor the chick’s growth cycle starting from the early embryo stages. By using candling techniques children are able to identify which of the eggs are fertile and will hatch into baby chicks and to tell if a fertilized egg has stopped developing. The candling process works by illuminating the interior of an egg so the children can see what is inside the egg shell.
The eggs first wobble and cheep which is then followed by a break in the shell and an inquisitive beak popping out. The tiny chick emerges gradually and kicks itself free from the shell. Eager eyes observe the newborn as it dries out and transforms into a cute ball of fluff. Students then help transfer the chick to the brooder box where it eats takes its first drink and starts socialising with its companions.
“The Chick Hatching Programme is part of Al Rawdah’s societal outreach programme. It gives students a first-hand appreciation of science and nature – something they might not get much exposure to in Dubai’s urban areas. It teaches them cause and effect thinking stimulates intellectual curiosity and promotes emotional maturity. It also helps young people develop empathy with animals and a desire to nurture them. These are all excellent lessons for a future generation that will shape sustainable progress in the UAE” says Emirates Modern Poultry’s General Manager for Sales and Marketing Jeanette Kristensen Alhaider.
The programme is also designed to help students understand environmental issues better and help them discuss key issues surrounding animal welfare and food hygiene. It bridges the gap between farm and table to promote an understanding of where healthy food comes from.
“Apart from involving students and speeding up learning Al Rawdah’s Hatching Programme also meets several societal imperatives for us. We want to highlight the importance of local produce and show how poultry can and should be raised in environments very conducive to animal welfare. We want to start a discussion around buying local produce and the health and environmental benefits that it creates. We want children to realise the entire ecosystem that goes into rearing poultry and show them that buying locally is good for the animals and for the environment” adds Alhaider
The initiative which already involves three schools in the city is soon expected to widen and include several others.
Al Rawdah is the UAE’s largest producer of poultry products and has recently celebrated its 20th anniversary. It was the first concern in the Middle East to be accredited with a HACCP accreditation and has since followed that up with ISO 14001:2004 and ISO 22000/2005 certifications. Al Rawdah has been recognised as a Superbrand in 2013 and has also won the 20th Golden Trophy for Food & Beverages in Germany. Moreover Al Rawdah was the first poultry farm in the UAE to receive the ‘Halal’ certificate from Emirates Authority for Standardization and Metrology (ESMA).
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