Local school’s eco-project takes flight with new chicken coop

Tired old hens used to living in battery cages will soon have a new home that’s so plush it’s been nicknamed Peckingham Palace.

The large coop is being constructed at Parochial Primary, Ashton, using a £1,500 grant from the Greater Manchester Combined Authority’s Eco-Grants for Schools scheme.

The coop will be part of a green oasis in what has been described as an unloved corner of the grounds, where pots had to be used if the pupils wanted to grow anything.

Head teacher Louise Thompson explained: “Last year we won Nature Parks funding that allowed us to take three spaces out of the car park. Now, in what was a grassless area, we have a small allotment where we’re cultivating vegetables like beetroot and peas.

“We have a group of very eco-conscious children here at Parochial. The chickens project will support their understanding and knowledge of where food comes from and the importance of reducing waste.

“They’ll learn about the sustainability of production, farming processes, and the many roles there are in getting food from farm to fork.

“Our fox-proof coop, which is being built by school caretaker Dean Ryan, will be big enough for them to get inside to take care of the hens.”

The initial consignment of three chickens is due to arrive for the start of the new school year in September. At first it will be a case of wait and see: It’s hoped that with care the hens will fluff up and gradually regain their energy over time.

Any eggs they produce will be donated to Parochial’s food bank or used in food technology lessons.

A school in Leicester, which already rescues former battery hens, has shown how looking after them can be good for dysregulated children, helping to calm them by providing a brain break.

Parochial’s green corner already includes a pond that’s used as a reflection area, tying in with the school’s Church of England ethos.

Cllr Laura Boyle, Tameside Council’s executive member for environmental services and neighbourhoods, said: “I think Parochial’s chicken coop project is a superb idea. At Tameside Council we encourage everyone to think green and they really are doing.

“Too many of us take our food for granted, giving no thought to how it appears in supermarkets or on our plates. This scheme will educate children in the full production process while also allowing them to care for the hens and bring them back to health.

“I’m sure Peckingham Palace will prove to be a right royal success.”