Small Flock Poultry Programs

Summary

Interest in small flock poultry production has increased over the past 10 years with ever more people seeking advice and information through UGA Extension educational programs. Addressing the need for information during the COVID-19 pandemic has resulted in the increased use of virtual technology to reach citizens of Georgia.

Situation

The COVID-19 pandemic of 2020 has inhibited in-person educational programs throughout Georgia counties. This in turn has opened the door for increased use of virtual technology to reach people through multimedia outlets. Providing educational opportunities for small flock poultry enthusiasts throughout Georgia through a virtual format can be one way to reach citizens during these uncertain times.

Response

Six County Agricultural Agents with the assistance of UGA Poultry Scientists as subject matter experts, developed a series of webinars focusing on management and health issues for the small flock poultry enthusiasts. The Agents hosted four webinar series which covered much of the state of Georgia in its outreach. The webinars were developed and administered by Extension Agricultural Agents in Lincoln, Lanier, Carroll, and Clayton counties. Extension poultry specialists within the Department of Poultry Science assisted the county agricultural agents in delivering the program content information to the online audiences. Each webinar series consisted from 1 to 6 sessions addressing numerous small flock management, health, and processing topics. Each week a new topical session was hosted for the duration of each series offered. Participants could register for an entire series offering or for individual sessions that covered topics of specific interest. Advertising for the webinars was accomplished through the use of individual County Extension Facebook pages, local citizen listservs, and small flock social media channels.

Impact

Due to the virtual nature of the programming, the scope and outreach of the webinars far exceeded the reach of the individual counties hosting the webinars and even the state of Georgia itself. Combined together, 15 webinar sessions were conducted, with people who registered for the webinar sections representing 17 Georgia counties as well as an additional 14 states. One webinar series even included a registrant from Australia who participated in real-time despite a 15-hour time zone difference. In total, 350 households received small flock poultry information through the combined efforts of the 4 webinar series. Through the efforts of county agricultural agents and specialists in the UGA College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, individuals throughout the state of Georgia and beyond have now received further education on how to properly establish and care for small flock poultry enterprises.

State Issue

Animal Production

Details

• Year: 2020
• Geographic Scope: Multi-County
• County: Clarke
• Location: College Station, Athens
• Program Areas:
  • Agriculture & Natural Resources