Lynmore Primary School enviro group helping eradicate pests, rehome battery hens

Lynmore Primary School pupils are making the environment a better place one rat and hen at a time.

While they are snuffing out rats to make the school pest free, they are also giving former battery hens a new life.

The school enviro club has spent the year trapping rats in the native bush area known as Waitawa Bush which is part of the school.

The club is being run by teacher Andrew Doyle and caretaker Gary Huitema.

Doyle said the roughly 30 children involved in the club had set up traps around the bush and had a roster to check them every day.

"The trapping is hugely popular, they really enjoy it."

Pupil Craig Carter, 11, said he loved that he could be outside in the bush as part of the enviro club while Hannah Kiernan, 10, liked knowing she was making the environment a better place.

"It's a good feeling," she said.

"Our goal is to get rid of all the pests and make the environment better."

The group has also adopted 10 former battery hens which live behind one of the classroom blocks.

Hannah said she was surprised when the hens first arrived as many did not have feathers because of the conditions that they had been kept in.

Lynmore School enviro group (from left) Hannah Kiernan, 10, Matti McGregor, 10, Ihita Nath, 10, Caleb Campbell, 11, and Craig Carter, 11. Photo / Stephen Parker

Caleb Campbell, 11, said he loved seeing the reactions of other pupils in the school when they saw the chickens.

"I love seeing the little kids' faces when they see the chickens start flapping."

Doyle said the school had been selling the eggs to staff members to fund the project but had also received a $1000 grant from Kiwibank with support from Predator Free NZ.

The group has also spent time in the classroom learning about native birds and the Government's Predator Free 2050 goal.

It plans to take the learning outside even further through an outdoor classroom.

"We'll be doing everything like maths and reading but outside in the fresh air," Craig said.