Arkansas Youth Poultry Programs

Exhibition poultry is a great project for any youth interested in small scale showing and production.

As a top producer in the poultry industry, Arkansas takes pride in educating youth about the world of poultry. Through hands-on programs and competitions, young people can engage at the county, district, and state levels.

Explore the exciting opportunities we offer:

Arkansas Poultry Chain Program
Arkansas Embryology Project
4-H Broiler and Turkey BBQ
County and State Broiler Shows
Exhibition Poultry Shows and Poultry Showmanship

Arkansas Poultry Chain

Any 4-H member in good standing is eligible to participate in this project. Members are given up to 25 chicks in the spring. Each county has a set of requirements for the project. All poultry chain chicks from each county are eligible to enter the state fair. Youth learn how to successfully raise a small flock of poultry. For more information, contact your county agent .

Arkansas Embryology Project

This project teaches youth about the embryology process. Small, portable incubators are placed in school classrooms or with 4-H clubs. Eggs are provided from the University of Arkansas Poultry farm upon availability. Many times, the eggs used for this project are from show-quality parent stock.

For more information about this project, contact Andrew Bolton at abolton@uada.edu.

4-H Broiler and Turkey BBQ Contest

Broiler and Turkey BBQ contests require participants to grill a portion of a broiler or turkey. There are county, district, state and national BBQ contests that participants can work toward. Contestants compete at the county level to qualify for district. From the district contest, a set number of contestants can earn a spot at the state competition. The state BBQ contest is held at the annual Poultry Federation festival. From there contestants qualify to attend the National Poultry and Egg conference in November. For more information about BBQ Contests, contact your county agent .

County and State Broiler Shows

Many counties offer young people an opportunity to raise broilers for competition. County agents or state specialists obtain broilers from local hatcheries. Participants receive an equal number of broilers from the same parent stock. Participants then use their husbandry and nutrition knowledge to produce the best broilers by county fair time.

We also offer a broiler show contest at the Arkansas State Fair. Birds are distributed in August and reared by competitors until the Arkansas State Fair Broiler Show. For more information about broiler shows in our state, contact your county agent .

Exhibition Poultry Shows and Poultry Showmanship

Exhibition poultry is a great project for any youth interested in small-scale showing and production. We strongly encourage young people to research different breeds of poultry to determine what fits their interest. Across our state there are numerous opportunities for youth to show their poultry as well as participate in poultry showmanship. From county fairs, to sanctioned poultry shows, the possibilities are endless. Poultry showmanship is an ideal way to learn more about the breed and anatomy of poultry. For more information about breeds or showmanship, contact your county agent or visit one of the web sites found below.