Bl4—Lancaster Farming, Saturday, February 27,1982 Md. broiler project begins COLLEGE PARK, Md. - Maryland youth in small towns and rural areas have a chance to help stretch their family’s tood dollar in this recession year by taking part in the annual statewide 4-H broiler project. The eight-week project will begin in late March or early April, according to Charles J. Wabeck, Extension poultry science specialist at the University of Maryland. Interested young persons should sign up by the end of February with local 4-H leaders or at county Extension otfices so that chick orders may be placed with hatcheries. Traditionally, the 4-H broiler project has a youth start with 25 or more meat-type chicks and grow them out to market broiler size within eight weeks. At the end of the grow-out period, the broilers are usually sold, or they can be slaughtered for home con sumption. Normally, two of the finished birds are selected for entry in county-wide or regional com petition featuring an educational program. The judging scorecard counts conformation and condition of the finished birds as half of a total possible score. Remaining points are from the 4-H project record book. The record-keeping portion ot the scorecard considers such factors as mortality, average weight and feed conversion. A conversion rate ot 1.90 pounds ol DURING OPEN HOUSE DAYS, TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THESE JAMESWAY SPECIALS... NEW BUTLER’ WATER CUP |] JAMESWAY performs ... ask your neighbor teed per pound ot gam, would earn a perfect score m that category. ) Last year, the Maryland pro- i gram was expanded to include a commercial 4-H broiler contest or I youth who live on commercial , broiler farms. "It gives youngsters the lee] ot managing an entire ' broiler house under the guidance ot i an adult supervisor who has total . responsibility tor the tlock,” J Wabeck said. Separate contest categories are provided in both the small flock and commercial flock project areas for junior contestants (ages