Baby Chicks Cared For

Life Opportunities Unlimited (LOU) South adult participants started visiting Stewart Farm in Duxbury over 10 years ago, as part of a collaborative effort with the Stewart Family Foundation of Duxbury and its overseer John McCluskey. The farm, which has been in operation since 1763, was not only a beautiful place to visit, but the Foundation was also very grateful for the help provided by Cushing adult participants – including harvesting blueberries and growing produce on the farm. The partnership also included managing the chicken coop – watering, feeding, and cleaning the coop nearly 5 days a week. Cushing even used the eggs during cooking preparations within their own nutritional program.

After a hiatus due to COVID, the LOU participants began resuming activities at Stewart Farm in 2023 – aligning with Cushing’s mission for participants to be active members of the community. Eventually, the resident chickens at the farm aged, and when discussions began about getting a batch of baby chicks – a new collaboration between Cushing and Stewart Farms was hatched. Cushing would take 5 of the baby chicks and raise them until they were “feathered,” a term that means they’ve become teenagers and can move back to the farm, and a farm volunteer offered to take the remaining 4 chicks. The plan was to have them for 5 to 6 weeks.

Leading up to the arrival of the indoor chicken pen, also called a “brooder,” and heat lamps to help raise the chicks, some of the classroom curriculum began to focus on the care and needs of baby chicks. They would need a clean area, fresh water, heat, and – hopefully – some love! The participants were eager to meet the “real thing” and all of the adults were very excited when the chicks arrived.

Once the chicks were settled at LOU, a few were reluctant, but many helped clean the pen, hold the chicks, and feed them. As the chicks began to grow, however, they got louder, larger, and more lively – even after just a few weeks. When they started practically jumping out of their brooder, it became clear that they wanted a larger area to roam, preferably outside. They were collected by a friend of Stewart Farm to roam on her property until they were ready to go back to Stewart, to be egg-laying chickens.

Now that the chicks are living back at Stewart Farm, the LOU participants have once again begun caring for them – now feeding them adult food and fruit and produce. They also plan to help expand the roaming area of the chicken coop there, as part of the care for their beloved friends. It is fun to think of the chicks growing into chickens and living a wonderful life at Stewart Farm – in part, thanks to our Cushing day habilitation adults!