Guest Author: Lisa Sholten
Larimer County 4-H member, Amelia Macy, authored a Poultry Resource Handbook that is available this month for Colorado youth enrolled in the 4-H Poultry Project.
The handbook includes chapters on 4-H and good sportsmanship, chicken breeds, getting started with chicks, caring for a flock, preparing for a show and showing poultry. Additional chapters provide information specific to waterfowl, turkeys, pigeons and doves, as well as market poultry.
Macy has been involved with 4-H raising poultry for over 10 years. She has been president of her 4-H club at both the local and county level to help other 4-H members grow in any project they are working on. She realized there was a need for a comprehensive poultry manual to help 4-H families raise backyard flocks, so she decided to do something about it!
A much-needed refresh
“When I was a junior in 4-H, I joined the poultry project and was issued the old standard 4-H poultry manual, which was in all black and white and was initially published in the 1940s,” said Macy. “It wasn’t much help to me as I was trying to figure out how the poultry project (and 4-H as a whole) worked, so I decided to write a new manual for the project during my new free time through the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020. My hope is that it will help other 4-H members who are getting started or continuing in the poultry project and that my manual will inspire them to get more involved and engaged with raising and showing their birds, especially because the 4-H poultry project, the people I’ve met through it, and the opportunities it provided me have been absolutely invaluable to developing who I am today.”
Macy’s drive and pursuit of excellence shows in the quality of her publication, exemplifying the leadership qualities and life skill development that 4-H is all about. Amelia collaborated on content with relatives Adam and Tom Macy as well as Marilyn Lasich, a Poultry Project Superintendent in Larimer County, Andrea Jeter, a 4-H Program Coordinator and Poultry Project Leader in Montezuma County, and Jenna Oxenhandler, a Poultry Specialist for Colorado State University.
“My goal has always been to encourage youth and share my passion for poultry through my manual, which is why I’m so excited to see it finally be finished and made available to Colorado 4-H members,” said Macy.
Download the Poultry Resource Handbook today
The Poultry Resource Handbook is currently posted on the 4-H Project Information website. For more information about the 4-H Poultry project, contact your county CSU Extension Office.
About Colorado 4-H
4-H is America’s largest youth development organization, having supported almost six million youth across the country since inception. Colorado 4-H serves over 110,000 youth annually, helping them to become confident, independent, resilient and compassionate leaders. Delivered by Colorado State University Extension, 4-H provides experiences where young people learn by doing in hands-on projects in areas including health, science, agriculture and citizenship. Colorado 4-H’s network of over 10,000 volunteers and almost 100 4-H professionals and staff members, provides caring and supportive mentoring to all 4-H’ers, helping them to grow into true leaders, entrepreneurs and visionaries. Learn more at Colorado4H.org
