Assessing Poultry Knowledge and Identifying the Needs of Small Flock Poultry on Tennessee Farms: A County-Based Survey

A. McDade, T. Broyles, J. deKoff, S. Nahashon, T. Tabler and P. Maharjan

Background: A sustainable and profitable poultry operation is essential for backyard and small flock producers. Objective: This study was designed to identify areas of improvement for backyard and small-scale poultry operations in Tennessee. Materials and Methods: A survey was conducted with county agents and 4-H agents (>90 participants total) of Tennessee (TN) to assess backyard and small flock poultry production practices. Non-parametric test was applied where applicable to evaluate results. Results: The survey results indicated that balanced feeding and nutrition, bird health challenges, marketing of eggs and meat products and predation issues were the most identified needs. Conclusion: Educational outreach programs targeting backyard and small flock poultry producers emphasizing topics relevant to the identified needs will improve overall knowledge of their flock management skills for sustainable small flock poultry production practices.

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