TUCKER, Ga. – While helping his family operate their mail order hatchery in Ohio, a young Dr. Darrin Karcher had no idea his life’s work would be using science to improve the quality of life for laying hens.

His plan was to graduate from college and become an agriculture teacher, but his career path instead led him to become a decorated animal sciences researcher.

“I think, ultimately, where I ended up is exactly where I was supposed to be. I just didn’t know it at the time,” he said.

Karcher, 45, is this year’s recipient of the annual Dr. Charles Beard Research Excellence Award from the U.S. Poultry & Egg Association (USPOULTRY).

“Dr. Karcher was a standout nominee for this award because his research, focusing on addressing producers’ concerns with laying hen management, bird welfare and food safety, has provided a wealth of knowledge for the layer industry and has led to many technological advancements in those areas,” said Dr. Denise Heard, vice president of research programs at USPOULTRY.

The award is named in honor of Beard, former director of the Southeast Poultry Research Laboratory and former vice president of research at USPOULTRY.

Currently, Karcher is an associate professor of animal sciences at Purdue University and an adjunct associate professor of animal sciences at Michigan State University.

The findings of his research are used by commercial producers to try to raise healthier, happier layers producing more nutritious eggs.

His breakthrough research includes the discovery of how chickens visually see things, which allows producers to know what color schemes to use in their housing of the birds to create a more positive mood in the chickens.

Karcher has also helped to uncover ways of improving the skeletal structure in chickens.

One way is through better calcium and phosphorus in the diets of layers to help them recover what was lost in their bones from producing an egg just about every day.

Winning awards is nothing new for Karcher, who seems to have a more special place in his heart for this one.

“It is by far one of the most meaningful awards I have ever received. I always strive to do what I can for the industry and to have the industry say thank you for everything you’ve done to help us just means a lot,” he said.

Karcher has been the principal investigator or co-investigator on seven USPOULTRY-funded projects.

He serves on the board of directors for the National Egg Quality School, Poultry Health Management School and Midwest Poultry Federation. He has also served on the board of directors of the World’s Poultry Science Association.

Karcher was a Societal Impact Fellow at Purdue University and the North Central Region’s Excellence in Extension Award winner at Purdue University. He’s also had his work published in numerous peer-reviewed papers and authored publications, including book chapters.

Typically, Karcher said his family hatchery would deliver at peak times during the year anywhere from 15,000 to 20,000 baby chicks a week. Most deliveries were through the mail in boxes containing holes for the chicks to breathe. He said most buyers would raise the chickens for meat, eggs or showing by 4-H youth.

Karcher was wrapping up his studies toward receiving a bachelor’s degree in agricultural education at Ohio State University when a change in his career path led him to the University of Wisconsin.

Karcher said an opportunity presented itself there to earn a mavster’s degree in poultry genetics. He then went on to earn a doctorate in animal sciences at Purdue University. “I just never looked back once I started,” he said.

Founded in 1947, USPOULTRY serves its members through research, education, communications and technical services.