The animals are rare breed species originally imported to Australia to broaden the poultry gene pool, reports ABC news.

Issues arose from a positive salmonella test that led to a destruction order being issued by the federal Agriculture Department.

Australia’s Chief Veterinary Officer, Dr Mark Schipp said he would consider alternative arguments but the intention to all kill the chickens in order to control disease risk remained.

"The reason that the whole flock need to be destroyed is that the whole flock have been run as a single flock and this is a disease that causes diarrhoea and can be spread through faeces," he said.

"We don't know which of those birds has been infected and are passing on the disease or maybe carrying the disease and the only way we could test that would be to let them breed."

The syndicate consists of 80 chicken farmers who have amalgamated to introduce new UK breeds into their flocks.

William Marshall, from the poultry syndicate, told ABC news that the syndicate would seek a court injunction to stop the destruction order.

"I believe from what I'm seeing there's plenty of people lobbying the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry Joel Fitzgibbon, they're lobbying him to at the very least put a stay on this order to allow some more time," he said.