By: JACOB BROWN
Salina Post
Cedarhurst Senior Living residents recently brought new life into their community by hatching baby chicks together.
For the second year in a row, Cedarhurst residents came together for the incubation, hatching and first few weeks of life for new chicks. The now annual tradition started when Cedarhurst Life Enrichment Director, Justis Taddiken brought in a handful of eggs from Trow Homestead Farm.
The residents observed as the eggs incubated on site and some even witnessed the hatching of baby chicks. After the success of the first batch, Taddiken brought in 30 eggs for residents to care for.
"It's fantastic just to see one of God's creations," said Ernie Vanhorn. "To take this egg and turn it into a chick."
Ernie Vanhorn is one of the many residents who participated in the activity. For both years, Vanhorn has been involved with the hatching, even being one of the first residents to notice the different breeds of the hatchlings.
Vanhorn recalled the joy that he and other residents felt while 'candling' the eggs.
Candling is the process where a person can check the embryo within an egg by shining a light inside the egg inside a dark room. Residents would crowd inside a restroom and shine a light in the eggs to check the growth of the chicks inside.
Of the 30 eggs in the initial incubator, 14 hatched healthy chicks. The chicks remained at Cedarhurst for two weeks after hatching, giving the residents time to play with them. The incubation process and the chicks proved to be a useful tool to encourage residents to participate in group activities.
Overall, this program increased resident involvement at Cedarhurst across the board.
After two weeks at Cedarhurst, the chicks were moved to nursery at Trow Homestead Farm. There, the chicks will grow and eventually will produce the eggs for next years incubation and hatching at Cedarhurst.
For more information on Cedarhurst Senior Living, click here.
To view Salina Post's last visit to Cedarhurst Senior Living, click here.