The phrase ― “Chicken on Sunday” has nearly fallen out of the English language except for a few who grew up at a time when chicken dinner was a highly prized favorite. Today’s poultry industry has turned an exclusive delicacy into an everyday commodity.

The development of the modern broiler or fryer has made chicken meat plentiful, economical and extremely versatile. The American consumer and the world market have lined up to take advantage of this nutritious source of protein and flavor for the palate.

4-H and FFA members have found these modern meat chickens to be a profitable and rewarding learning experience. Backyard poultry enthusiasts have also found the advantages of raising these meat birds for the home freezer or niche markets.

Many poultry project members page through a hatchery chick catalog or the American Standard of Perfection dreaming of the county fair champions that they want to raise. Unfortunately, too often, these dreams turn to failure and therefore a well-minded project becomes a disappointment. Raising broilers as a project is an excellent first-step in the process of learning poultry husbandry and can result in high rewards.

This resource provides along with information about getting started – equipment needed, where to source chicks, feed and how to care for the poultry. There is also information about getting ready for the fair and criterion used for judging meat chickens.