CALDERDALE poultry breeder Stephen Hitchen, from Ludendenfoot, Halifax, ruled the roost at Skipton Auction Mart, on Saturday.

Victory came for him after sending out the champions and setting the pecking order for the day at the autumn Craven Premier Poultry show and sale.

He clinched another title at the North Yorkshire venue with his first prize pen of waterfowl, a trio of 2019 Silver Appleyard ducks, which sold for £40.

Show judge Geoff Marsden, from Wetherby, himself a well-known poultry man, plucked out the first prize large fowl pen, a 22-week-old Light Sussex trio, as his reserve champions.

They came from Red Rose breeder John Hindle, of Oswaldtwistle.

Mr Hindle is no stranger to the show after standing champion with a trio of White Wyandottes at the previous spring show.

To make his day even better, his latest prize winners made £55 on the gavel.

Many birds of a feather flock to the seasonal poultry highlights, regardless of size, with vendors travelling many miles to take advantage of some excellent specimens on offer, many you would struggle to get home in the back of the car.

Indeed, it was a pair of emus that sold for the day’s top price of £200.

They came from Louise Clark, of Darlington.

Continuing on the larger bird theme, a pair of three-year-old breeding rheas from Granville Fairburn, of Apperley Bridge, proved popular among bidders so reach a three-figure price of £100.

Other leading prices included £85 and £65 for Welsummer pullets.

Silver Laced Wyandotte pullets made £80.

The same price was reached for another pen of Silver Appleyard ducks and £65 was reached for Copper Black Marans.

Accessories were also part of the trading day and a wheeled ark made £110.

The next poultry show at Skipton is the Christmas fixture on Saturday, December 14, for which entries close on December 5.