Keys Christmas poultry auction to take place in Aylsham

Turkeys, geese, chickens and ducks will be up for auction at the annual festive sale, which will be held at Keys’ sales ground off Palmers Lane on Wednesday, December 20.

First held by Geoffrey Key in 1953 after the coronation of Queen Elizabeth II, 2023 will mark the 70th anniversary year of the auction. 

Keys Christmas poultry auction (Image: Newman Associates PR)

“Our Christmas poultry sale is a wonderful Christmas tradition, which brings together local producers and local consumers,” Tim Blyth, director at Keys, who is the grandson of founder Geoffrey Key, said.

“This year has seen us celebrate our 70th anniversary with a hugely successful year which has seen 110 sales take place, and it is entirely appropriate to round off our birthday year with the Christmas poultry sale, which harks back to where it all began.”

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Keys Christmas poultry auction (Image: Newman Associates PR)

Most of the birds, which include Norfolk black and bronze turkeys, and free-range geese and ducks, have been raised locally by small-scale farmers.

Bird flu meant fewer birds went under the hammer last year. Hundreds of thousands of birds were culled across East Anglia meaning many traditional turkey sales didn't go ahead. 

Keys began in 1953 as a small livestock market selling mainly poultry, but by the end of the 1950s it had become one of the largest of its kind in the country. 

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Keys Christmas poultry auction (Image: Newman Associates PR)

A young Bernard Matthews purchased his first turkeys from the firm.

The Keys annual Christmas poultry sale is taking place on Wednesday, December 20, from 11am. 

Viewing of the birds on offer starts at 9am.