This year marks the third time the Franklin County Extension office has partnered with Franklin County’s 4-H program to inform and teach students to raise chickens. The program teaches the students not only how to raise chickens but also important life lessons such as responsibility and management skills.
As part of the 2016 Northwest Alabama 4-H Chick Chain, students sign up to receive 10 chicks that are one to two days old and are all pullets (females). They receive five individual chicks from each of the two breeds. All the chickens came properly vaccinated.
Students cared for the pullets for approximately 21 weeks. Students will bring the best two pullets from the same breed to the Northwest Alabama Chick Chain Show and Sale that will be held at the 2016 North Alabama State fair in Muscle Shoals. When the students bring their best two pullets to the show, they will receive their $25 deposit and the chance to win prize money and ribbons.
If the students successfully raise all 10 pullets, they will have eight left after the show, and those remaining pullets will belong to the student for egg production. Students, on the day of competition, are required to bathe the chickens.
Everyone is welcome to the competition. The 2016 Chick Chain will be held at the North Alabama Fairgrounds at 5 p.m. It all falls into the judging portion of the show. This competition is not just for rural kids. This program is for any student that is willing to take the time to learn.
The participants learn about responsibility and jobs in the agriculture industry. Some of the responsibilities associated with this program are the requirements the students have to meet. All students must find a sponsor and also get three businesses to display Chick Chain posters. The types of jobs the students learn about are quality control management, feed mill management, and agriculture engineering.
Colt Thomas, seventh-grader at Phil Campbell High School, is participating in his third year with the Franklin County 4-H Program. He has taken part in every agricultural project 4-H has offered. Thomas said he plans to go into the agricultural industry and own and operate a hatchery.
“The program teaches you to keep records and be responsible,” Thomas said. “There was a lot of responsibility involved with cleaning the pen and making sure to keep good records.”
The goal of the program is to open doors and inform students of the available jobs in the agriculture industry. Not only men can have careers in agriculture, and showing that to students was a goal of Franklin County Extension Office coordinator Katernia Cole. She wants to show participants the agricultural job opportunity in Franklin County and the surrounding area.
“The 4-H program is about life skills,” Cole said. “We are not only looking to make an impact on a kid’s life, but to learn about developing career and workforce skills.”
Participants are learning poultry management skills, how to produce healthy chickens, awareness for business management, record-keeping skills, and pride of accomplishment. Cole hopes to partner with the Future Farmers of America (FFA) in the future for the competitions.
You can find Cole working in the Franklin County Extension office almost any day of the year. If you would like more information on the 2016 Chick Chain, you can contact Cole at 256-332-8880.
