Bladen County Launches 2026 Youth Poultry Program to Inspire Future Farmers

The 2026 Regional Chicken Project will teach kids ages 5-18 in 4-H and the National FFA Organization how to care for chickens and show them. Becky Spearman leads the program. Seven counties across North Carolina are taking part: Bladen, Brunswick, Columbus, Cumberland, Hoke, Robeson, and Sampson.

Kids will get their laying hen chicken by Feb. 13. Broilers arrive in March. They'll show their work on April 28. It costs $5 per person to join, with a $4.50 charge per pullet that kids can keep after the show. Broilers cost $2.50 and will be processed, then given to the Bladen Crisis Center and other food banks.

Spearman said, per the Bladen Journal, that the program aims to "encourage youth interest in animal project, increase youth knowledge of poultry production, get parents involved in 4-H activities with their youth, build responsibility and confidence in youth, and build record keeping skills in youth."

Kids choose whether to raise laying hen chicks that produce eggs or broilers that produce meat. They'll learn sustainable farming practices, including feeding chickens, the brooding process of baby chicks, predator control, biosecurity, flock health, and coop cleaning.

Protecting chicks from wild predators or family pets has been a struggle in the past. Keeping coops clean was another challenge. In response, organizers explained protection methods and stressed the importance of taking responsibility when caring for living creatures.

How do they measure success? By counting the number of kids who sign up, show their chickens, and learn. Spearman shared a 4-H slogan that captures the program's approach: "Learn by Doing."

The program aligns with Bladen County's Strategic Plan action to build interest in agriculture and farming, which could lead participants to choose careers in these fields.