Poultry & Pigeon
The Sydney Royal Poultry & Pigeon Show is one of the most prominent and prestigious poultry shows in Australia. The Royal Agricultural Society of NSW’ Poultry Competition was first held in 1858. With judging in more than 1250 classes awarding cash prizes, ribbons and perpetual trophies for both Poultry & Pigeon Classes, imagine your fowl at the Sydney Royal Easter Show. It would be a fantastic way to showcase them and their incredible breeding.
Your fowl could become the star of the Show, winning hearts and perhaps even a few ribbons. Plus, you’ll get to meet other passionate fanciers, share stories and make new friends. It’s a fun celebration, and who knows, your bird might just steal the spotlight and become the next big sensation!
A range of competitions are classes are available for young competitors and schools interested in poultry, these include: Youth Poultry Showmanship, Sydney Royal School Commercial Egg Laying Competition, RAS Poultry Young Judges Competition State Final, and many Schools Classes for both fowl and eggs. See the Schedule for more information.
- Key Dates
- Exhibitor Information
- Purebred Poultry Auction and General Sale
- Youth and Junior
- Sponsors & Supporters
- Results
- School Egg Laying Competition
- Subscribe
2025 Poultry & Pigeon Schedule released
Poultry & Pigeon Competition Entries Open
Poultry & Pigeon Competition Entries Close
Show Pack Mailout
Poultry & Pigeon Penning Days
Poultry & Pigeon Judging Day
Sydney Royal Easter Show
Youth Poultry Showmanship Competition
Poultry & Pigeon Auction
Pigeon Unpenning
Poultry Unpenning Day
Proudly sponsored by
2025 Feature Breed
The Feature Breed for Poultry is Geese.
Exhibitor Guide
All Exhibitors are issued with information to assist them during the Show. The Guide contains information relevant to Exhibitor's time at the Show and their specific Competition. It covers topics such as entry passes, parking and passes, arrival (Bump In) and departure (Bump Out) times, event details, Poultry Function and Awards night and Exhibitor amenities. This Guide will be mailed out with the Exhibitors Show Pack.
Competition Timetable
Key dates for the 2025 Poultry & Pigeon Show can be found on our Key Dates & Schedule page. Further information is outlined in the Competition Schedule.
Online entries
Open late January and close on 26 February.
Enquiries relating to entries may be sent to poultry@rasnsw.com.au
Substitutions
Substitutions can be done via the MyRAS portal, please click here to access.
For further information regarding substitutions, please see the Competition Schedule.
Withdrawals
Withdrawals can be done via the MyRAS portal, please click here to access. For further information regarding withdrawals, please see the Competition Schedule.
Parking
The RAS is pleased to offer limited parking to Exhibitors in our Poultry & Pigeon competitions, this is available for purchase at the time of entry. Parking for floats, vans, and trucks is available along with long-term parking for cars and other small vehicles. Parking not ordered and paid for at time of Entry can be purchased onsite on a first come, first serve basis from the Cattle or Horse Offices.
There are also many parking stations located in Sydney Olympic Park. For more information call Sydney Olympic Park Parking on 02 9714 7077 or visit www.secureparking.com.au/sop.
Fodder and bedding during the Show
From the first day of the show, all poultry exhibits will be fed twice daily with a Laucke Mills ration appropriate to their type and size. Birds will be watered twice daily. Bedding will be provided in the form of shavings and Pavilion staff will clean the bird cages as required during the Show.
Accommodation Options Near Sydney Olympic Park
There are a number of accommodation options available if you'd like to stay near Sydney Showground. To view these options click here.
Privacy Information
Information provided by Exhibitors is primarily used to organise, process and conduct Competitions. This includes relevant information being made available to relevant bodies, to breed societies, to promote the event in the media and to facilitate storage of the information in the RAS Archive.
The RAS Privacy Policy is available at www.rasnsw.com.au. Exhibitors have the right of access to and alteration of their personal information, and may lodge a complaint by contacting the RAS Privacy Officer on (02) 9704 1111, or by writing to the RAS, Locked Bag 4317 Sydney Olympic Park NSW 2127.
Sydney Royal Purebred Poultry Auction
Exhibition Poultry Exhibits from across New South Wales and further will go under the hammer in one of the most highly anticipated Poultry Auctions in the Australian calendar. Chickens, Ducks, Turkeys, Geese and Pigeons are among the lots being offered by some of the most influential breeders in Australian Exhibition Poultry.
The Sydney Royal Purebred Poultry Auction will be available online, accepting bidders from across the country!
Date: Saturday 12 April 2025
Time: 1 PM
Location: The Stage, Poultry & Pigeon Pavilion, Sydney Showground
Bidding Options
Online Bidders:
To participate online, register through Ballimore Auctions.
Registration closes at 12 PM on 12 April 2025.
In-Person Bidders:
Registration opens at 9 AM on the day of the auction.
Visit 'The Nest' in the Poultry & Pigeon Pavilion to register.
Important Information for Bidders
- Exhibits will be available for viewing in the pavilion after judging concludes on Friday 11 April 2025. Please do not remove any exhibits from their pens under any circumstances.
- Images of the exhibits will be accessible online via Ballimore Auctions.
Buyer Accounts and transfer of ownership will be finalised as soon as possible, please be patient at the conclusion of the Auction. - Purchased exhibits can only be collected during poultry unpenning on Wednesday 23 April 2025 between 7 AM and 2 PM.
General Sale
The Poultry & Pigeon General Sale will be open from 9 AM on Saturday 12 April 2025 and will close on Sunday 19 April 2025 at 5 PM.
Birds available for general sale can only be purchased in person from the Poultry & Pigeon Pavilion, no online or phone purchases will be available Look for "For Sale" signs on the cages. To buy a bird, bring the sign to the sales office; only then will the bird be removed from sale and ownership transferred.
For more information, please contact the Small Livestock Events Manager. We look forward to seeing you at the Show!
Youth Poultry Showmanship Competition
Show off your skills in the exciting Youth Poultry Showmanship Competition! Open to young people aged 12–18, this competition focuses on the preparation, handling, and exhibition of stud poultry, providing a fantastic opportunity to learn, compete, and showcase your knowledge in the exhibition poultry industry.
Key Details:
- Class H001 - Open Section: Use your own exhibit or one approved by another exhibitor.
- Class H002 - School Section: Use an exhibit owned by your school, which may come from the School or Open Section.
- Entry Fee: Free
- Entry Deadline: Wednesday, 26 February 2025
- Judging Day: Saturday 12 April 2025, at 9:00 AM
- Venue: Poultry & Pigeon Pavilion
How It Works:
Participants will be judged on their handling skills, including capturing, carrying, posing, and returning their bird. Knowledge of exhibition poultry will also be assessed during a public Q&A session.
School Poultry Classes
(Open to Primary and Secondary Schools)
School Classes are exclusively open to exhibits owned by schools, offering a platform for educational institutions to showcase their breeding programs. These classes provide an opportunity for schools that breed purebred poultry as part of their educational curriculum to compete in a friendly and competitive environment.
Available classes include categories for Standard Fowl, Bantam Fowl, and Waterfowl. Detailed class information can be found in the Sydney Royal Poultry & Pigeon Schedule.
This program highlights the dedication of schools to agricultural education and encourages students to engage with breeding, husbandry, and exhibition practices.
School Egg Classes
(Open to Primary and Secondary Schools)
School Egg Classes provide a platform for schools to showcase their students’ efforts in egg production. Eggs will be judged on uniformity of size, shape, color, shell texture, and appearance, adhering to the Australian Poultry Standards (2nd Edition).
Classes are available for Standard, Bantam, and Waterfowl eggs, allowing schools to compete in a variety of categories. For a full list of classes and criteria, refer to the Sydney Royal Poultry & Pigeon Schedule.
This competition encourages students to apply their knowledge of poultry husbandry while promoting excellence in egg production.
Sydney Royal School Commercial Egg Laying Competition
Learn more about the School Commercial Egg Laying Competition by visiting the dedicated website tab for detailed information.
The Royal Agricultural Society of NSW gratefully acknowledges, donations, prizes, and trophies awarded throughout the Poultry & Pigeon Show at the 2024 Sydney Royal Easter Show from the following:
Sponsor
Australian Eggs
Poultry Supporters
Ancona Club of Australia Inc
Australorp Club of Australia
Bantam Club of NSW
Exhibition Poultry Association of NSW Inc
Janet Doust
Leghorn Club of Australia Inc
Silkie Club of Australia Inc
Pigeon Supporter
Exhibition Poultry Association of NSW Inc
Sponsor and Supporter Programs
If your Poultry Club, Association or Society is interested in becoming involved in the Sydney Royal Poultry Show, please contact poultry@rasnsw.com.au for more information.
There is one School Egg Laying Competition that caters to Commercial Egg Layers, please click on the Teacher's Manual for more information.
Class CEL001 : Sydney Royal School (Commercial) Egg Laying Competition supported by Australian Eggs.
The Sydney Royal School Commercial Egg Laying Competition offer students a valuable opportunity to gain an insight into commercial egg production through the rearing of six commercial egg laying pullets (young female chickens), supplied by the RAS. The Competition is open to all Schools in NSW with poultry keeping facilities and the trial is linked to the school curriculum. It will be conducted as a trial at your school prior to the 2025 Sydney Royal Easter Show, the pullets will be distributed in the middle of term four, schools are then required to rear the pullets and the Competition culminates at the Show by preparing and exhibiting their best three pullets. Entries for this Competition will open towards the end of August, please keep an eye on the website for updates.
The Competition is judged by poultry industry experts and consists of three components:
- Presentation of Exhibits: Three pullets are chosen by the school for judging. Birds are chosen based on exhibition qualities, uniformity and fitness for showing.
- Project Component: students are asked to create an A3 Poster detailing how the pullets were raised and prepared for the Show. To be submitted online.
- Egg Laying Component: the quality of the eggs are laid by the three pullets (during the 9 days of Competition) are judged to commercial standards.
For more information, including 'How-To' guides and judging criteria, refer to the Teacher's Manual.
Pullets will be dispatched mid November 2024 to those schools who have entered. Please refer to your email for information about your collection point.