2021 Poultry Skillathon Study Guide - Morgan County

2021 Poultry Skillathon Study Guide
The Morgan County Jr. Fair Skillathons will take place on Saturday, August 21 at the fairgrounds. All
poultry exhibitors should bring their completed poultry record book (either 1st year book or 2nd year
plus book).

Age divisions for Skillathon are as follows (your age as of January 1): Juniors 8-11, Intermediates 12-
14, and Seniors 15+

This study guide describes each station that will be included in the Poultry Skillathon. The Poultry
Skillathon is for all youth exhibiting poultry including egg production, poultry exhibition, market
chickens, turkeys, and ducks. If your animal is unable to exhibit at the fair, skillathon will serve as a
judging requirement.

Station 1: Project Record Book & Quality Assurance

Present either your 1st year project record book or 2nd year plus livestock record book to the judge.
The judge will review your record book and award points for completion.

You will practice filling out a Drug Use Notification Form with a given scenario, and you will be asked
5 questions about the Good Production Practices (GPP) 2, 4, and 5.
    GPP #2: To establish and implement an efficient and effective health management plan
    GPP #4: To properly store and administer animal health products
    GPP #5: To follow feed processing protocols
Must attend a Quality Assurance Training by June 13, 2021.

Station 2: Project Interview

You will have an interview for the poultry project you are exhibiting at the Morgan County Jr. Fair. You
will be asked 5 questions by an interview judge. Sample interview questions are included in this study
guide. All questions are based on the eXtension articles found on
https://ohio4h.org/poultryresources under Poultry Production. Depending on your project look at the
articles starting with the title Raising Chickens for Egg Production, Raising Meat Chickens, Raising
Meat Turkeys, or Raising Ducks.

Station 3: Hands-On Activity

Juniors: You will be asked to identify 5 breeds of chickens and what color egg they lay. There are
breeds included in this study guide and other information can be found at
https://ohioline.osu.edu/factsheet/anr-60.
Intermediates/Seniors: You will be asked to identify 4 brooding area scenarios and their corrections
and answer 2 questions related to brooding area preparation. Information can be found at
https://poultry.extension.org/articles/poultry-management/brooding-poultry-hatchlings/ and
https://extension.unh.edu/resource/brooding-and-caring-chicks.

                           Poultry Study Guide Sample Questions
Market Chickens
  1. What are the 5 necessary equipment pieces you need to raise poultry?
  2. What type of hatchery do you purchase your day-old chicks from?
  3. At what age and weight should broilers/fryers be harvested?

4.   What should you do to all the equipment at least two-weeks prior to the chicks’ arrival?
   5.   What is the first thing to teach the chicks upon their arrival?
   6.   How many hours of light should broilers/fryers receive and why?
   7.   Feather pecking and cannibalism is caused by what 4 events?

Market Turkeys
  1. How long are poults unable to regulate their body temperature?
  2. What is the purpose of “litter” or wood shavings?
  3. Why are brooder guards typically in a circle?
  4. What unique tool helps attract poults to water?
  5. What kind of diet do fast-growing turkeys require?
  6. Where should the feeder and waterer be located inside the turkey pen at the fair?
  7. What is the long, red piece of flesh that grows from the forehead over the bill called?

Market Ducks
  1. What should you do to all the equipment at least two-weeks prior to the ducklings’ arrival?
  2. For the first week, what should be the ducklings’ environment temperature be?
  3. What is the recommended minimum amount of uninterrupted darkness for ducklings?
  4. How much space should be provided for each duckling at the feeder?
  5. How long should you wait to let ducklings swim?
  6. What piece of equipment will help reduce mortality from heat?
  7. When switching from one diet to another, what should you do?

Egg Production
  1. What is the most popular chicken for white egg production?
  2. What is the first and most important step in protecting your birds from disease?
  3. What can you incorporate in flock’s housing facility that provides a natural behavior?
  4. How long does it take the hen to fully form an egg?
  5. What mineral is vital for a laying hen’s diet? Why?
  6. Name 2 reasons why a hen may stop laying.

Barred Plymouth Rock

     White Plymouth Rock

    Single Comb Rhode Island Red

Silver Sebright

Sicilian Buttercup

Bearded White Silkie

  Speckled Sussex

 White Wyandotte

Bearded Mille Fleur Booted

Light Braham

 Buff Cochin

 White Cornish

Silver Spangled Hamburg

Black Tailed White Japanese

     Black Langshan

    Single Comb White Leghorn

Brown, Red Modern Game

 Single Comb Clean Legged New Hampshire

                 Black Breasted Red Old English Game

Buff Orpington