One of the quirkier (and noisier) exhibitions at the annual Dubbo Show is the poultry section.

The highly competitive exhibit attracts around 250 entries each year and there are classes for every type of chook and waterfowl under the sun.

Poultry steward Rachel Condon, who is also the secretary of the Dubbo Poultry Club, fell in love with showing poultry as a child, thanks to an unlikely source.

“I was a young girl with a lot of energy,” she explained.

“At the time there was a cleaner at Dubbo High School who thought I needed to direct that energy to something useful and I am truly grateful for that nudge.”

Today Ms Condon breeds Pekin Bantam chickens and is planning to grow her brood from 50 to 80 next breeding season.

Recently, one of her chooks won of the industry’s most respected awards - Reserve Grand Champion Bird of Show at the Sydney Royal Easter Show.

“I never thought I could achieve that level of winning.”

“I am hard on my birds and have high expectations, but I am told that that's what makes a successful exhibitor.”

Asked what it takes to breed an award-winning bird, Ms Condon said patience is key.

“Pekins are a slow maturing bird, and it can take a min of 12 months for a Pekin to fully bloom, but with a balanced diet and the right living conditions, you can achieve this a little more quickly,” she said.

“They are what you call an ornamental bird, so their perfection takes time.”

And bird judging is no mean feat with every breed having a strict standard that it should be bred to.

For the Pekins, they are judged on their shape, comb, eye colour, feet, and markings.

Ms Condon travels far and wide showing her birds but has a particular soft spot for the Dubbo Show, which she says is ideal for beginners and children.

“It's where people get the fire in their belly and with the right encouragement, which our shed is full of, we can get them on their way to exhibiting on a more competitive level.”

“I love that we get to show people how unique chooks are and how they make the best pets.”

“It's just a really great atmosphere.”