Breeders from South Australia, Tasmania, Victoria and NSW showed 500 birds on Saturday, and a brisk auction on Sunday thawed a throng of fanciers.

Newcastle breeder Matthew Pickstone's rare buffed-laced bantam and silver-laced hens were so uncommon he was not surprised that he faced so little competition.

"She's like a little model,'' he said, spreading paper napkins under his hen's bottom while she was being photographed. Stroking her fluffy behind had her strutting her stuff with alacrity.

Mingling among wood shavings and tiered cages on Sunday, beady-eyed breeders and backyard beginners in beanies looked for birds worth bidding for at auction.

Duane Rhall, of Parkes, who was made a life member of the Wyandotte Club of Australia on Saturday, won in four classes, and he wasn't selling any of them. He said the club was Australia's oldest breeding club, having formed in 1915.

Wyandottes came in 16 varieties and was one of the most popular chook breeds in Australia.

"It's an excellent layer, a good meat producer. They'll lay through winter; they take a bit of time off in autumn, if they're moulting.''

Canberra Queanbeyan Poultry Club president Peter Shands said an extraordinary resurgence in backyard poultry was evident last month, when 300 birds were sold in an hour.

''You get passionate about these things. There is a strong upsurge in backyard keeping of poultry and the exhibition side is a little fragile.

''The backyard people still need and want pretty, productive, effective chooks. If you don't have the exhibition side then those birds will not be available to the backyarder, who are keeping them in spades.''

Mr Shands said using genetics to perfect the striking colours was like painting with an egg. Each colour and shape were assessed to an Australian standard.

Mr Shands said chooks made better companions than goldfish or dogs. ''You can sit down with them and a cup of tea in the backyard.

"My grandson made a presentation at school the other day and began with the fact you can eat eggs from your chooks, but there isn't much you can do with dog poo.''

Braham Metry, an auctioneer who specialises in poultry, warned that the top prize-getters had reserve prices and he urged bidders to speak up and ask questions if they needed to.

Alf Williams' silver-laced bantam cockerial was passed in at $50 having not made the $100 reserve. And a $100 bid floundered well short of the owner's $200 reserve.

''I don't beg for bids,'' an unruffled Mr Metry said, "because it's a sign of a bad auctioneer.''