Rules & Event Information

• See General Rules applying to all 4-H Exhibitors and General Rules applying to 4-H judging events.
• This contest will test the participants' knowledge of poultry and poultry products. Refer to the State Fair catalog or contact the state contact person for a list of materials to be covered [Indicated below].
• There are both senior and junior divisions in this contest.
• A team will consist of not less than two or no more than four members. Counties may enter more than one team. [Counties must have at least six participants to have two teams and at least 10 participants to have three teams.]
• Official sports bracket book will be used to pair teams. A double-elimination tournament style format will be followed. The contest will continue until only one team remains with less than two losses.
• Each bowl match will consist of 9 questions. Questions will be in a format suitable for bowl competition - definitions, spelling and multiple choice. Pictures and charts from the study material may be used. Incorrect questions will be offered to the other team. Questions will be worth 5 points. For the seniors only, incorrect answers and acknowledgment penalty will be minus 5 points.
• Ties during the bowl will be broken by one toss-up question until the tie is broken.
• After completion of the question, teams have 10 seconds to buzz in. The answer should start within 5 seconds of being acknowledged.
• Questions given to the other team after a miss will not be repeated but can be completed if interrupted by the first team.
• A team member and coach have the privilege to ask for verification on an answer they feel is incorrect. "Time out" must be called before the next question is read. Decisions made by the judge are final.
• There will be no conferring by participants among themselves or with anyone else except for the moderator while the avian competition is in process. Participants giving or receiving answers from others will be excused from the competition and not receive a ribbon.
• Top four judges in the Senior Division - $600 for team expenses at the National 4-H Avian Bowl event.

Study Packet for 2025

All questions for both the state and national events will come from the 2023 version.

The following sections and pages have been selected as study materials for the 2025 Kentucky Avian Bowl contest:

The Junior Contest covers:

• Prologue to the Avian Bowl Manual
• Poultry Judging (Examining hens for pigment loss through Comparing a good and bad layer) ....  pages 10d-10g
• Avian Systems (Respiratory and Digestive Systems and The Feather) .... pages 41-43
• Breeds, varieties, and strains (English, Mediterranean and Continental only) ... pages 73-77
• Biosecurity .... pages 179-180
• Avian Influenza .... pages 185-186
• Poultry Genetics (Poultry Genetics through Toe Number Genetics only) .... 203-208

The Senior Contest will cover all of the Junior Contest material plus:

• Eggcyclopedia (Nutrient-enhanced eggs through Zeaxanthin) ... pages 136-151b
• Contributions of individuals from industry, academia, and the government to the advancement of poultry science (1965 through 1968 only) ... pages 217-218

Note: The above study material came from the National 4-H Avian Bowl Manual revised in 2023/24.

If you wish to purchase a printed copy of the revised manual, you may do so through Clemson University at $9 per copy plus shipping costs: 4-H Manual 161. An ADA-complaint downloaded version is available for $20 at Avian Bowl Manual PDF. They do not accept checks. 

For any questions, contact Christini Leard.