Despite several requests from people wanting to adopt the hens, and with no one coming forward with proof of ownership, the eggheads at the Philadelphia School District have decided to put them to work.

The 85 hens have been officially declared part of the family at Fox Chase Farm, in Northeast Philadelphia. The district will keep them at the farm, along with four other chickens that have been there for some time.

Since they were carted away from Northeast High, at Cottman and Algon avenues, the hens have been housed in a hay-filled horse trailer at the farm on Pine Road near Susquehanna Road. The farm is used for demonstrations and managed by the Swenson Arts and Technology High School,about 4 miles away.

"We will make them a part of the education program," Swenson Principal David Kipphut said yesterday.

The school will convert an existing building on the farm into a walk-through chicken coop, with the chickens kept behind glass, so children on school trips can watch the hens up close, Kipphut added.

Recent testing by the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture determined that the hens were free from disease, he said.

"We have thousands of kids who come to the farm each year to learn about agriculture and farm animals," Kipphut said.

The farm also has about 20 sheep, 15 head of beef cattle and 20 pigs. Several 4-H groups from the community help care for the animals and show them in farm competitions, Kipphut said.

A Philadelphia police spokeswoman said police still haven't solved the mystery of the chicken caper. A videotape showed about four people letting the hens into Northeast High School about 9 p.m. on Feb. 10.

A building engineer who arrived at the school early the next morning discovered the hens running up and down the hallways and a mess all over three floors. Classes had to be canceled for the day so the school could be cleaned.

Kipphut said the new chicken coop should be completed by the end of this month.

All in all, said school district spokesman Fernando Gallard, "the hens will be in good hands." *