• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
Chicken & Chicks Info
  • Chickens
  • Chicks
  • Eggs
  • Blog
  • Find a Hatchery Near You
menu icon
go to homepage
  • Chickens
  • Chicks
  • Eggs
  • Blog
  • Peafowl
  • Egg Farms
  • Hatcheries
  • Avian Vets
  • Guinea Fowl
search icon
Homepage link
  • Chickens
  • Chicks
  • Eggs
  • Blog
  • Peafowl
  • Egg Farms
  • Hatcheries
  • Avian Vets
  • Guinea Fowl
×

Barbu de Watermael Chicken Breed Info

Modified: Feb 28, 2023 by Phil · This post may contain affiliate links ·

The Barbu de Watermael is an ornamental and pet chicken breed. These bantam hens lay only about 100 small cream-colored eggs each year, so they are not used for egg production. They are also not raised for meat production due to their small size.

An adorable white Barbu de Watermael hen standing on a wooden table.
Image source: Instagram

Although hens are poor layers, they do tend to go broody and make excellent mothers. This is a good breed to have it you plan on hatching and raising chicks on your farm.

Jump to:
  • Barbu de Watermael Chicken Breed Quick Info
  • Origins of Barbu de Watermael Chicken
  • Some Things to Know About Barbu de Watermael Chicken
  • How Easy is it to Keep Barbu de Watermael Chickens?
  • Special Care and Considerations for Barbu de Watermael Chickens
Cackle hatchery
The Best Hatchery to order from: Read reviews here.

Barbu de Watermael Chicken Breed Quick Info

Barbu de Watermael Chicken Description

Barbu de Watermael Type/Size:Bantam
Feather Color:Varies
Leg Type:Clean
Leg Color:Slate
Skin Color:White
Barbu de Watermael Ease of Raising/Keeping:Easy
Barbu de Watermael Special Care Needs:Yes
Is the Barbu de Watermael breed a common, rare, or protected breed of chicken?Rare, “endangered” status

Barbu de Watermael Use

MeatNo
EggsNo
Dual PurposeNo
Barbu de Watermael Temperament:Calm, friendly
Barbu de Watermael Ability/Likelihood to Free Range:No

Barbu de Watermael Egg Production

Egg ColorCream
Egg SizeSmall
Estimated Number of Eggs Per Year100
Likeliness to Brood Eggs/Raise ChicksHigh

Barbu de Watermael Meat Production

Dressed Weight MaleN/A
Dressed Weight FemaleN/A

Barbu de Watermael Climate Tolerance

HeatGood
ColdGood

Barbu de Watermael Age to Maturity

Number of Months to Reach Full Size5 Months
Number of Months to Start Egg Laying5 Months
Number of Weeks/Months to Reach Meat Harvest SizeN/A

Barbu de Watermael Size at Maturity

Male1.5 lbs
Female1 lb

Origins of Barbu de Watermael Chicken

An adorable black.-brown Barbu de Watermael hen perched on a hand.
Image source: Instagram

These chickens originated in Belgium in the town of Watermael-Boitsfort and are related to other Belgian bantam breeds, like the Belgian D’Anvers. They are true bantam, meaning that there is no full-sized version that exists.

See also  Do Chickens Lay Eggs When Molting? (+ How to Help Your Chooks)

Some Things to Know About Barbu de Watermael Chicken

Adorable Barbu de Watermael rooster and hen in a chicken coop.
Image source: Instagram

The most common variety of this breed is black and reddish-brown. Other color varieties include buff-Columbian, cuckoo, quail, and white. They are true bantams with a small, backward-facing crest, a rose comb, and clean legs.

How Easy is it to Keep Barbu de Watermael Chickens?

An adorable brown Barbu de Watermael hen perched on a roof.
Image source: Instagram

The Barbu de Watermael is calm and friendly, but males can be aggressive during mating season. They don’t mind confinement and mix well with other breeds. If free range, they need a very secure space, so they do not squeeze through gaps due to their small size.

This breed makes an excellent pet and show chickens because of its docile, friendly temperament. They are ideal for families with children and beginner chicken owners alike.

Special Care and Considerations for Barbu de Watermael Chickens

Barbu de Watermael roosters can be aggressive during mating season. It is best to only keep one rooster per flock to avoid fighting between them. You should also handle chicks frequently so that they grow accustomed to humans.

Their small rose comb and almost non-existent wattles mean that this breed is cold-hardy and not prone to developing frostbite in low temperatures.

Barbu de Watermael Chicken Breed Info pinterest image.

More Breeds

  • Scots Grey Chicken Breed Info
  • Scots Dumpy Chicken Breed Info
  • Old English Pheasant Fowl Chicken Breed Info
  • Muffed Old English Game Chicken Breed Info

Primary Sidebar

Looking for Chicks For Sale?

Or, check out our extensive list of the best hatcheries by state here!

Recent Posts

  • Scots Grey Chicken Breed Info
  • Scots Dumpy Chicken Breed Info
  • Old English Pheasant Fowl Chicken Breed Info
  • Muffed Old English Game Chicken Breed Info
  • Modern Langshan Chicken Breed Info

Categories

  • Blog
  • Breeds
  • Chickens
  • Chicks
  • Eggs
  • Find a Hatchery Near You
  • Find an Avian Vet Near You
  • Find an Egg Farm Near You
  • Guinea Fowl
  • Peafowl

Footer

↑ back to top

About

  • Privacy Policy
  • Disclaimer
  • About Us
  • Contact Us

Newsletter

  • Sign Up! for emails and updates

As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.

Copyright © 2022 Chicken and Chicks Info LLC.