Which came first, the chicken or the egg? For Desper Dobbs, the chicken did, but it is the eggs that make his business boom. In the small town of Falkville, Alabama, at just 11 years old, Dobbs has created a family business through Alabama 4-H's Chick Chain project.
Chick Chain teaches young people the ins and outs of raising chickens. After receiving a set of chicks in the spring, 4-H members care for their chickens for approximately 20 weeks, learning everything from management practices to record keeping. The project culminates with a local show and auction. However, for Dobbs, Chick Chain was only the beginning. In just a few years, he took his 4-H project from basic to a full-blown business venture.
In 2022, at nine years old, Dobbs received his first flock of chicks. He admits that he had no idea how impactful the program would be for him. Now, he is grateful to have found his passion.
“When I signed up for Chick Chain, I thought it was going to be this little event, but I was really wrong,” Dobbs said. “I got started participating the first year, and it’s been really amazing, so I went on for another year and now we have a full flock.”
The Alabama Cooperative Extension System office in Morgan County offers a variety of activities to get local youth involved in agriculture, including crafts, cooking, technology and other areas. Juliana Markham, a 4-H Extension agent, said she could tell early on that Dobbs and his family were going to be special.
Markham said, “Desper and his family first joined in 2022 when I first started as a 4-H agent. What stood out to me was their willingness to try new things and go all in. When Desper signed up for Chick Chain, you could tell he was excited. What was even better was the willingness of his parents to make his visions of his flock come to reality.”
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