Members of the Decatur County 4-H poultry judging team recently participated in the area Poultry Judging Competition in Tifton, Ga.

Competing against approximately 240 4-H students from a total of 20 counties, the Decatur County Junior team took ninth place in the contest.

Junior team members include Michael Hatcher, Thomas Mitchell, Branch Austinson, Mary Alice Long, Shelby Lane, Joshua Lane, Anders Austinson, Jacob Christie and Josiah Austinson. Senior individuals were Levi Adkins and Stennes Austinson.

The objective of poultry judging is to train student evaluation skills in the areas of past-production laying hens, grading ready-to-cook poultry, identification of ready-to-cook parts, exterior egg quality, interior egg quality and broken-out egg quality.

All 4-H judging activities help develop leadership abilities, life skills, integrity, decision-making processes, communication skills and an awareness of scientific knowledge based on research.

4-H is the youth development program of the University of Georgia College of Agriculture and Environmental Science. For more information about Decatur County 4-H, call the Decatur Country Extension Office at (229) 248-3033.

Lindsey B. Hayes is the 4-H coordinator with the Decatur County Extension Service. She can be reached by calling 248-3033 or e-mailing her at uge4087@uga.edu.