JOHNSON — For 4-H members enrolled in the poultry project, March 5 was an “egg-citing” day as they competed for prizes at the annual University of Vermont (UVM) Extension 4-H Poultry Quiz Bowl and Skill-a-thon at Johnson State College in Johnson.
The youths competed in groups based on their level of poultry knowledge. The top four finishers in each division received awards and prizes including poultry magazines and educational materials.
The quiz bowl consisted of three rounds of 20 questions each about poultry breeds, health, anatomy, grading and storage of eggs and related topics. For the skill-a-thon, contestants had to answer questions at different stations on duck breeds; chicken, duck and turkey body part identification; comb identification; and chicken meat parts.
Local quiz bowl winners, in order of placement, were:
Peeps (Novice): 1. Caleb Moran of Starksboro, independent 4-H member.
Poults (Intermediate): 2. William Moran of Starksboro, independent 4-H member.
In the skill-a-thon contest, winners were:
Peeps (Novice): 2. Caleb Moran.
Poults (Intermediate): 2. Katherine Moran of Starksboro, independent 4-H member.
Hens and Roosters (Advanced): 4. Raymond Bushey of Addison, Feathered Friends 4-H.
Many of the older 4-H’ers gave short presentations designed to educate their audience about a poultry-related subject. Among them, Bushey gave an illustrated talk on pigeons.
The event concluded with judging of the culinary contest, in which each participant was asked to make a dish using eggs and/or turkey or chicken.
For more information about the 4-H poultry project, call the UVM Extension 4-H state office at 1-800-571-0668.