Balmoral Show 2024: Rarest breeds of poultry return for first time since 2019 - the critical DNA resevoir of the industry is on show

The annual Balmoral Show is Northern Ireland’s biggest food and agri event and is running from 15-18 May at the Eikon Exhibition Centre outside Lisburn.

Bird flu has kept all poultry away from the show for five years, but with restrictions now lifted, 50 of the top breeders are excited to be putting their best birds back on public display.

On show will be 500 birds of endless types, sizes and colours of chickens, ducks and bantams.

But the show is not just for vanity, almost all the breeds on display are rare breeds which are kept alive for their unique blood lines.

Carryduff man Robert McKibben is the Poultry Chairman of the Royal Ulster Agricultural Society, which is behind the Balmoral Show.

He says the show is a unique opportunity to see breeds that will never be seen on a farm in Northern Ireland.

"No, the birds you would see on farms are carefully genetically bred from these rare breeds that we will have on show. We have some rare breeds that are fat and some that are skinny. You put them together and you get a medium size bird for a specific purpose. As breeders our job is to preserve very select DNA so that we can create birds for special purposes.

"There are many different birds for different things. Some birds are developed for laying eggs, some some are developed to eat, some for their chicks. There are actually 14 different breeds used to create the normal egg laying hen.

"They're all important in their own way, they all have their own jobs. You've got fluffy ones, you've got ones with naked necks, you've got big massive ones and really tiny ones like dinosaur chicks. There are so many varieties.

"But most of the most of these birds on show are classed as rare breeds because they're all purebred breeds, which are dying away."

Robert himself has about 500 birds across 100 different breeds.

For five years he and his colleagues have been unable to show the fruits of their hard work.

"Bird flu affected the whole of the British Isles and it affected us. There was no show to prevent it from spreading. But now we are up and running again."

Thousands of birds had to be culled in Northern Ireland when the virus was found in flocks.

"But with all that behind us it is an exciting time to be back at the Balmoral Show. Because we have been breeding for all these years and have had nowhere to show our birds."

He admits there is now some excitement, pride and even nerves about showing in public after such a break.

"Yes there is. The judges haven't seen any of these birds so it's quite exciting. All the birds on show are fresh."

The rare breeds will be on display on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday this week, with a smaller display on show on Saturday.

Translink is encouraging visitors to travel by bus or train with a free shuttle bus from Lisburn Train Station taking them directly to the show. See www.translink.co.uk/balmoralshow and www.balmoralshow.co.uk