The University of Kentucky Cooperative Extension Service Community Needs Assessment (2023) highlights key agricultural priorities, including youth life skill training, workforce readiness, access to affordable and nutritious food, support for the local agriculture industry, and promoting agricultural literacy among youth. 4-H projects in animal production and management can help young people develop life skills, learn about responsibility, and gain content knowledge about animals through breeding or market projects.

    For over a decade, Knott Co 4-H has incorporated poultry embryology into classrooms, with programs covering various topics for youth, including nutrition, grading and general poultry information, alongside the embryology process.

    This year our high school members took on next level roles. They began by hatching chickens in early fall through our traditional embryology program.  They then built a coop, learned how to feed and care for the flock throughout the winter and in the spring engaged in entrepreneurship by selling the eggs. These new lessons brough insight into the full cycle of egg to egg and the basics of poultry production.

    The teens who demonstrated proficiency in the poultry process were given the chance to lead lessons for elementary youth on the fundamentals of embryology. They also facilitated the candling and clearing of eggs in those classrooms.

     The program was a collaborative effort with Knott Co 4-H, Knott Co FFA and Knott Co board of Education who graciously provided transportation.  The program reached 229 youth and provided numerous community leadership opportunities for our teens.