Poultry Project

The 4-H Poultry Program in Tennessee offers youth the opportunity to learn valuable skills through raising, exhibiting, and judging poultry. Participants gain hands-on experience in poultry care, breeding, and management while developing responsibility and leadership. Whether showing chickens, turkeys, or other poultry, youth are challenged with real-life experiences that teach them about the industry. This program provides a fun and educational environment for young people to explore their passion for poultry!

Shows and Events

From county fairs to regional and state-level events, 4-H members have plenty of opportunities to showcase their poultry projects throughout the year. Whether it’s raising chickens through the Chick Chain program or competing in poultry judging contests, participating in these events allows youth to demonstrate their knowledge and the hard work they’ve put into their projects.

To find local poultry shows and events near you, contact your county Extension office.

For Tennessee 4-H State Poultry details and resources, click the link!



Poultry Project Toolkit

Follow the links below to find some great online resources for your project.

  • Raise chickens from day-old chicks, learning about care, feeding, and growth, and then showcase them at local events.
  • Participate in poultry judging competitions to learn how to evaluate the quality of different poultry breeds and develop decision-making skills.
  • Focus on egg-laying hens, learning about egg production, record-keeping, and marketing eggs.
  • Explore genetics and breeding by raising a specific breed or crossbreeding poultry to achieve desired traits.
  • Learn about common poultry diseases and how to prevent them, focusing on biosecurity and vaccination practices.
  • Study different types of feed and diets for poultry, and learn how nutrition affects growth, egg production, and health.
  • Design and build a proper poultry coop or run, ensuring it meets the needs of the birds and adheres to safety and health standards.
  • Take on a photography project by capturing different aspects of poultry care, breeds, or egg production.