Sulphur Springs FFA member, Colby Temples, pauses with his 25 broilers that he is feeding for the upcoming Market Show

They're Driving Pigs, Fluffing Chickens,
And Exercising Goats, South of Town

by: Bobby McDonald

Go about a mile past the city limits sign on Highway 154, and you're almost certain to see a host of activity almost any morning or afternoon after school. It's the Temples and the Schultzs working with their projects for the upcoming Hopkins County Market Show.

Colby Temples, a member of the Sulphur Springs FFA, is feeding a pen of broilers for the show and can be found playing music, cleaning litter, and making certain that his chickens are eating all the feed they can consume. "With the changes in the weather, you must strive to keep the temperature as constant as you can," advises Temples. "And, the more active your chickens are, the more weight they gain and more muscle they put on."

As a result, Colby goes out early every morning to "fluff" his chickens and to clean the wood shavings litter, as he adjusts the heat lamps and delivers feed to them, before school. Then, sometime around lunch, his mother goes out and "stirs" them again and fills the feeders. When Colby arrives home from school, he's in the chicken pen "rustling" the chickens and making certain they have plenty of water. Then, the last thing he does before going to bed at night, is a stop by the chicken pen for a repeat performance and a "bedtime snack" for the chickens. "Playing music for the chickens keeps them active when you're not around and encourages them to get up and eat," states Temples. "That's the object of the game!"

Hanna, left, and Harlee Schultz exercise their pigs in the pen of a morning, but once school lets out of an afternoon,
you'll find them walking them all around the pasture.

Little sister, Hattie Schultz, has her own pig and set of responsibilites of
making certain that it gets the proper exercise.

Meanwhile, across the road, Colby's cousins, Hanna, Hattie, and Harlee Schultz are driving their pigs and exercising their goats, before and after school. "We get up and feed the pigs and goats, every morning before school," advises Hanna Schultz. "And, we make them walk around their pens and move around.......kind-of a wake-up call, that time of the day!"

Then, the minute the Shultz girls get home from school, about 4:00, they change into "farm clothes" and get serious about exercising pigs and goats. "We 'swap-out' driving pigs around the pasture and make certain that they get enough exercise, every afternoon," advises Harlee Schultz. "Pigs are just like people. If they don't get the proper exercise, all of that feed will go to fat, instead of muscle. And, muscle is what you're looking for on a show pig!"

"Winkem & Blinkem?".......That's Hattie Schutlz, left, and Hanna Shultz, with their goat projects for this year's show. "But, Hanna's
won't lead by itself," jokes little sister, Hattie.

Hanna and Hattie Schultz decided this year that they wanted to learn about a goat project, so each of them added a goat to their preparations for the County Show. "The goats are fun," expressed little Hattie Schultz. "But, Hanna's don't want to lead by itself. He's stubborn!"

"I grew-up showing livestock projects of all kinds and we want our girls to learn the lessons in responsibility, that the projects offer," advised Lana Shultz. "Rusty and I are there to help and support them in any way we can, but we encourage them to take care of their projects, so they will learn the lessons involved. And, they all three enjoy going to the shows and competing with their friends!"

"The show is less than 30 days away, so we've got alot of work to do between now and then," advised Colby Temples. "But, it's all worthwhile, when you get your project to the show and see how well you have done!"

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