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Students of the Chambers County 4-H will have the chance to compete in this year’s Golden Egg contest. 

“Eggs are quite often overlooked, but it’s one of our best programs that we offer through Alabama 4-H with the largest number of participants across the state across different counties,” said Alabama Extension Specialist Brigid McCrea. 

The contest teaches 4-H students how to pick out the best eggs to be sold for market based on shell thickness, consistency of shape, size and color, proper packaging and other quality control.

“A lot of our 4-H’ers still to this day lose their customers because the customers aren’t prepared for seeing irregularly colored eggs,” McCrea said. 

The contest is open to all Alabama 4-H members who have chickens. 

“It’s designed to help them learn how to pick the best highest-quality most uniform set of eggs from their chickens,” McCrea said.

Students that turn in their eggs by Aug. 24 will have their eggs inspected by McCrea and the winner will be announced later in the year. 

The prizes for the contest will be an article in Chicken Whisperer’s magazine, an interview on Chicken Whisperers radio show and 750 pounds of chicken feed for the winner and 250 pounds for the local 4-H office.

“Poultry Science really takes very good care of its 4-H’ers here at Auburn University,” McCrea said. “They understand that the quality of the youth in 4-H is what they’re looking for in the poultry science department, and are willing to award scholarships based on excellence in different programs.”

McCrea said it is important that 4-H members check the instructional videos on the Alabama 4-H website carefully before submitting their eggs so that they will qualify for the contest.