4-H'ers excel at poultry judging

4-H'ers taking part in the Poultry Judging Contest included (front row, l-r) Liam Smith, Megan Thackston, Dusty Shelton, Jackson Armour, Cody McLeroy, (back) Jonathan Wood, Joshua McLeroy, Lauren Chafin,Paige McAvoy, Colby Moore, and William Thomas.

Eleven Wilkes County 4-H'ers took their knowledge of poultry to a higher level when they competed at the Area Poultry Judging Contest in April.

"These youth did very well and I am so proud of them for trying an activity that has not been offered through 4-H in Wilkes county in a long time," says 4-H Agent Audra Chapman. "This is a very competitive event and our 4-H'ers have worked very hard to prepare for it."

This project is designed to train students' evaluation skills in the areas of live birds, and interior and exterior egg quality. Poultry Judging encourages students to observe, evaluate, compare, and make decisions. The contest is an opportunity for students to demonstrate their expertise in a competitive environment.

The members practiced for several weeks to get ready for the challenging contest. They learned many exciting facts about the poultry industry as well as the anatomy of birds and they also gained an understanding of how eggs are produced and how they get to the grocery stores. They toured inside a broiler house to understand what it takes for chickens to survive.

"The 4-H'ers had a wonderful experience learning all about the poultry industry and we look forward to next year's contest," Chapman said.