Milton's Damian Cooper wins chook championship at the Sydney Royal

The local chicken breeder and his Australorp Bantam cockerel won Grand Champion Bird of Show, but the success doesn't stop there.

Mr Cooper took ten of his best fowls to the show, and won a total of 14 prizes across a variety of classes for Australorp and Bantam softfeather birds.

While he is somewhat of a fixture at poultry shows across the South Coast and beyond, Mr Cooper said winning at Sydney is always the goal.

"We show all over the country - the Canberra Royal, and lots of local shows from the South Coast right up to Dubbo - but Sydney is the pinnacle for me as a breeder," he said."

Winning grand champion this year builds on his track record of success at the Sydney Royal - last year Mr Cooper took home reserve champion.

He credits the many wins to a keen eye for pedigree and breeding standards, as set by the poultry association.

A lifetime of experience also helps. Mr Cooper has been been breeding and showing chickens since childhood; after switching to breeding beef cattle for a while, he found his way back to the poultry clubs and hasn't looked back.

Each year, Mr Cooper will raise around 30 to 40 of each specialty breed.

While his best chickens will take centre stage at poultry shows, the chickens which don't meet show standard will find their way to local families. Mr Cooper said the Australorp Bantams make for excellent pets.

"I've been breeding Australorps specifically for 11 years; they're a great utility fowl - they look good and lay very well."