A reddish brown hen in a grassy area
Course

Backyard Poultry Certificate Course

Self-paced

$25 Enroll

Full course description

Backyard Poultry Certificate Course

For a variety of reasons, there is an increase in interest in keeping backyard poultry. Backyard flocks provide the opportunity for people in rural and urban areas alike to produce tasty eggs and meat for personal and family food security. You might want egg layers. You might want to raise meat birds for a harvest in your freezer. You might even have a youth interested in raising chickens for their 4-H or FFA project, as these lower maintenance livestock can be kept in a fraction of the space for a fraction of the cost when compared to other species.

Whatever your reason for raising poultry, this course is designed to provide you with the knowledge and resources you will need to get your backyard flock off to a great start. 

Course Goals

After completing this course, learners will be able to:
  • Identify rules and regulations relevant to raising backyard poultry in their state, city, or municipality
  • Source healthy birds to raise in their backyard
  • Apply concepts of basic husbandry, nutrition, and housing to successfully raise backyard poultry. 
  • Explain how eggs are produced
  • Practice safe handling of birds and eggs
  • Recognize health-related abnormalities of poultry through physical examination
  • Describe the roles of of veterinary care and biosecurity in maximizing poultry health

Course Format

This course is available fully online with no scheduled class sessions or fixed due dates. You can start coursework at any time and work through it independently at your own pace.

Course Organization

This self-paced course is expected to take 2-3 hours to complete and includes the following 6 modules:
  • Getting Started
  • Brooding, Basic Husbandry & Nutrition
  • Housing
  • Egg Production
  • Maximizing Health
  • Biosecurity

Technology Requirements 

  • For best performance, a computer or tablet that supports the most recent web browser versions can play mp4 files. It is recommended to use a computer five years old or newer with at least 1GB of RAM and high-speed internet connection. Some features may not be compatible with mobile devices.
  • Adobe Acrobat Reader. Can be downloaded here for free.
  • The recommended web browsers are Mozilla Firefox, Google Chrome, and Microsoft Edge.

Contact Us

If you have questions about the course, contact Tim McDermott at mcdermott.15@osu.edu for assistance. 

At this time, this course is only offered in English. 

First Time ScarletCanvas Users: After you enroll, you will receive two automated emails, one with the subject "Please confirm your email address - Ohio State ScarletCanvas." Use the link in that email to set up the password you would like to use for your account. 

For technical assistance with the ScarletCanvas platform, including logging in and password concerns, please contact CFAES Online Outreach team at faes-onlineoutreach@osu.edu. Please allow at least 24 hours for a reply during business hours, 72 hours over holidays and weekends. 

To request a credit card receipt please fill out the ScarletCanvas receipt request form within 30 days of purchase and allow 3 business days for your request to be processed.