The Australian Poultry Standard is the official breed standard for poultry fancy in Australia. It is the official standard of perfection from which all poultry in Australia is supposed to be judged when exhibited at Poultry Show’s.
Published by the Victorian Poultry Association, the first edition of the Australian Poultry Standard was published in 1998 and is at the current time, the only edition.
Compiled by consulting all major state poultry clubs and all Australian poultry breed clubs over the course of several decades, the standard was finally published in 1998, after almost 30 years of delay. The second edition of the standard is due to be published in December 2011.
As of the beginning of 2010, the 1st Edition of the Australian Poultry Standard has been out of print.
The Australian Poultry Standard classifies all chicken breeds as either Hard Feather or Soft Feather, and then further divides them in to the bantam or standard size. Breeds which have less under fluff and feathers which are closer to the body fall under hard feather, such as the Old English Game and Asil. Breeds with more under fluff and softer feathers, such as the Silkie, Australorp and Leghorn, are classed as soft feather.
Ducks are divided in to two classes, bantam or standard size, and all turkey's, geese and guinea fowl have only one class each.