CHOOK enthusiasts will flock to Pontville next month when the Southern Tasmanian Poultry Club will hold its annual show.

Hundreds of birds will be on display at the show, which will be held on Saturday, June 10, at the Bob Scott Pavillion (Brighton Showgrounds) in Pontville from 9am to 2pm.

With more than 500 poultry representing dozens of breeds competing at the show it will be one of the state’s biggest poultry exhibitions this year.

Over the past 12 months the club’s membership numbers have doubled as more people become involved with poultry.

This year competitors at the show will be vying for more than $4000 of cash and prizes.

Club Secretary Julie Devlyn said the show was all about encouraging the current, future and novice exhibitors.

“This year we have done a bit of work on educating the public and in encouraging new members to join,” she said.

Poultry exhibitions play an important role in educating people on the basics of poultry keeping, safety and the requirements of local government laws.

“We want people to be encouraged to keep poultry and to promote a sustainable lifestyle,” Ms Devlyn said.

“However, if people don’t know the basics, they can come across a few issues with councils and especially with by-laws.” Ms Devlyn said last weekend they had nearly 400 birds surrendered.

“That’s because people love hatching poultry at home, but they grow up and not all of them are girls,” she said.

“The majority of people who live in suburban areas can’t keep cockerels because they’ll crow. People who hatch chickens have a love for poultry so what we want to do in nurture  that the right way.”

Judges for the show are travelling from the mainland to oversee this year’s competition.

Kerin Politch from Queensland will be judging hard feather, forest  and field and eggs sections while Brendan Sharpe from New South Wales will be judge the soft feather and water fowl.

The show will feature a poultry exhibition, which for the first time will include eggs.

 Entrants from across the state  will showcase their best chook and eggs and will be judged based on conformation and type.

Ms Devlyn said every breed had  a standard and the exhibition would essentially be just like a beauty contest for chooks.

There are around 500 to 600 birds entered and around three to four dozen eggs with a lot of junior entrants.

“We’re trying to take the mystery out of it, people come to the poultry shows and they are fascinated with all the different breeds,” Ms Devlyn said.

There will also be a raffle on the day with $2500 dollars’ worth of prizes that have been donated by businesses.

Birds will start being penned from 7.30am, with the official welcome by Federal Labor Member for Lyons Brian Mitchell at 9am.