The Belgian Bearded d’Uccle chicken is a great ornamental and pet bird. This rare bantam breed is not raised for egg or meat production due to its small size.
Hens will only lay around 100 small cream-colored eggs each year. They are highly likely to go broody, which further decreases their egg production. However, if you’re looking to hatch and raise chicks on your farm, then this breed is a great choice.
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- How to Buy Online Belgian Bearded d’Uccle Chickens
- Belgian Bearded d’Uccle Chicken Breed Quick Info
- Origins of Belgian Bearded d’Uccle Chicken
- Some Things to Know About Belgian Bearded d’Uccle Chicken
- How Easy is it to Keep Belgian Bearded d’Uccle Chickens?
- Special Care and Considerations for Belgian Bearded d’Uccle Chickens
How to Buy Online Belgian Bearded d’Uccle Chickens
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Belgian Bearded d’Uccle Chicken Breed Quick Info
Belgian Bearded d’Uccle Chicken Description
Belgian Bearded d’Uccle Type/Size: | Bantam |
Feather Color: | Varies |
Leg Type: | Feathered |
Leg Color: | Yellow |
Skin Color: | Yellow |
Belgian Bearded d’Uccle Ease of Raising/Keeping: | Easy |
Belgian Bearded d’Uccle Special Care Needs: | Yes |
Is the Belgian Bearded d’Uccle breed a common, rare, or protected breed of chicken? | Rare |
Belgian Bearded d’Uccle Use
Meat | No |
Eggs | No |
Dual Purpose | No |
Belgian Bearded d’Uccle Temperament: | Docile, calm, friendly |
Belgian Bearded d’Uccle Ability/Likelihood to Free Range: | Yes |
Belgian Bearded d’Uccle Egg Production
Egg Color | Cream |
Egg Size | Small |
Estimated Number of Eggs Per Year | 100 |
Likeliness to Brood Eggs/Raise Chicks | High |
Belgian Bearded d’Uccle Meat Production
Dressed Weight Male | N/A |
Dressed Weight Female | N/A |
Belgian Bearded d’Uccle Climate Tolerance
Heat | Good |
Cold | Good |
Belgian Bearded d’Uccle Age to Maturity
Number of Months to Reach Full Size | 7-9 Months |
Number of Months to Start Egg Laying | 6 Months |
Number of Weeks/Months to Reach Meat Harvest Size | N/A |
Belgian Bearded d’Uccle Size at Maturity
Male | 1.75 lbs |
Female | 1.5 lbs |
Origins of Belgian Bearded d’Uccle Chicken
Belgian Bearded d’Uccle chickens were developed by Michael Van Gelder, a Belgian chicken hobbyist, in the late 1800s in the town of Uccle. A few years later, it was imported to the United States. It was accepted into the American Poultry Association as an official breed in 1914.
Today, they remain somewhat rare. They are raised mainly for ornamental use.
Some Things to Know About Belgian Bearded d’Uccle Chicken
The Belgian Bearded d’Uccle chicken comes in many varieties, including mille fleur (the most popular and first to be officially recognized), buff, white, blue, black, mottled, golden neck, and porcelain.
They are a bearded breed with feathered legs and a short body. They have yellow legs and skin and a red single comb and wattles.
How Easy is it to Keep Belgian Bearded d’Uccle Chickens?
This breed does well both in confinement and as a free-range bird. They make great pets and show birds with a friendly and calm disposition. They do well in both cold and hot climates and are an overall hardy, healthy bantam breed.
Special Care and Considerations for Belgian Bearded d’Uccle Chickens
As with all chickens with a single comb, the Belgian Bearded d’Uccle chicken is at risk for frostbite in the winter. You can use a swipe of vaseline to help protect their comb and wattles from freezing in low temperatures.
This breed is also good at flying. They require fencing to prevent them from escaping free-range boundaries. These birds can attract mite and lice infestations because of their heavily feathered beards and legs.