Taieri Poultry Club secretary and treasurer Sid Bennett reflects on the rising cost of grain as he feeds a Bichen Pekin bantam at the annual Taieri Poultry Show, near Mosgiel, yesterday. Photo by Peter McIntosh.

Poultry enthusiasts are feeling the pinch and some owners are starting to sell birds as the price of grain continues to skyrocket, organisers at the annual Taieri Poultry Show say.

The price of grain had doubled during the past three months and the cost of feed was becoming a consideration for poultry owners, said the Taieri Poultry Club secretary and treasurer, Sid Bennet.

Club president Karen Cardno said she bought up to six tonnes of grain every year to feed more than 200 birds, including poultry and pigeons, but rising prices had forced her and her husband to start cutting back on the number of birds they had.

With one tonne of grain costing about $500, keeping birds was becoming a more expensive hobby, she said.

Rising fuel costs and the lack of growers due to the increasing number of dairy conversions were affecting grain prices, Mrs Cardno said.

About 550 birds were entered in the 118th Taieri show, but entry numbers had been dropping.

The highest number of entries she could remember was at the centennial show in 1990, when more than 2000 birds were entered.

The show at the Taieri Agricultural Park, near Mosgiel, finishes today.