Mr Wilson, of Salterforth Road, keeps his hens on an allotment in Earby. While he has been breeding poultry for 30 years, he moved into OEG Brown Reds five years ago when hatching eggs from fellow West Craven poultry man Alan Demain, of Barnoldswick.

The victors, the first prize pen of large fowl – the brother of the cockerel finished second at this year’s Carlisle Game Show – sold for £30.

Well-known Cononley breeder Keith Chapman acted as show judge, awarding the reserve championship to the first prize pen of small fowl, a pair of White Wyandotte Bantams from champion Derbyshire breeder David Pownall, of Riverside Cottage, Old Glossop.

The former Stoneleight national champion – he has also been Skipton champion several times - saw his overall runners-up sell for £30. He was also responsible for the second prize pen of large fowl, a trio of Blue Duckwing Old English Game, which again made £30.

The opening poultry fixture of the year attracted a total of 212 lots. Silver Ducks and Spandled Hamburg both sold to joint highs of £65 and Bluebell Pullets to £52, with both Fawn Runner Ducks and Welsummer Pullets selling to £50. Eggs and other poultry-related accessories were also offered for sale, with an incubator, hen coup and hen house all making £70.

The next Craven Feather Auction sale is on May 5, followed by the summer show on sale on September 8, then the Christmas fixture on December 8 – all Saturdays.

Also on the latest Saturday agenda at Skipton were the monthly collective sales for stirks, weaned calves and young store cattle, along with ever-popular Agri-Trader auctions.

The 148 head of cattle penned for sale saw Limousin entries head all sections on price. Bulls sold to a top of £830, also producing a leading breed average of £640 per head, with Limousin steers trading to £875 and heifers to £830. British Blue steers led the section averages at £664 each, with Simmentals heading the heifer averages at £656.

In addition, 25 sheep and goats produced a top call of £160 for a nanny with kids and £80 for a goat in kid, with sheep selling to £68 for correct ewes in-lamb. A Zwartble hogg also made £48.

Agri-Trader auctions attracted 108 lots of nursery and garden furniture, with the machinery section again well supported with 401 lots, along with 489 lots of reclaim and stone. Both local agricultural communities and members of the general public again turned out in force to seek bargains among the vast diversity of goods again on offer.

There was a top call in the machinery section of £5,500 for a Cubota Loadall, followed at £5,000 by a Case Digger.

Reclaim items sold to a top of £875 for a mower, a milking machine sold for £240 and a go kart in the mix made £80. Stone and timber items saw gate posts sell at £260 and £160, while a stone trough made £260, ornamental stone £55, slates £50 and an oak plank £45.

Picture prints, one of Yorkshire, another of Muker, both made £52, a China dinner service £22, an ironing board £16 and fire ends £14. With Spring in the air, cherry trees sold to £14.50, with an ornamental tree and greengage plum both making £10.50, while flowering cherries, plum, pear and apple trees, and primrose trays all hit £10.

The next Agri-Trader auctions are scheduled for Saturday, May 5, along with the monthly livestock collective, including a sale of ewes with lambs at foot, Craven Feather Auctions and annual early sale of Border Fine Art and Beswick pieces, all 2010 or before.