Belgian Bearded d'Uccle
Encyclopedia
The Belgian Bearded d'Uccle , or Barbu D'Uccle in French, is a breed
of bantam chicken
originating from the town of Uccle
on the outskirts of Brussels
, Belgium. The bird is frequently referred to as the Mille Fleur in the U.S., after the most common color variation (which is French for "thousand flowers").
It also has a related variant that is tailless, called the Belgian d'Everberg
.
, and raised as a closely related but separated breed.
. The weight of a cock is around 26 ounces and a hen weighs roughly 22 ounces. The Belgian Bearded D'Uccles comes in many color variations such as: Mille Fleur, Porcelain, Black mottled, Buff mottled, Blue mottled, Blue Mille Fleur, Buff Colombian, Brown red, Red, White, Black, Buff, Blue, Colombian, Lavender, Splash, Golden Necked and Lemon.
Bearded D'Uccle eggs are notably small and are coated with creamy or tinted coloring. The breed is known for being very broody, and a typical hen can lay her eggs over a two-week period, though others have taken as long as three weeks (21 days).In the US they are frequently referred to as Mille Fleur or Millies, in spite of the fact that Mille Fleur is only one of their color variants and it also appears in other breeds, such as Leghorns, Dutch Bantams, Old Englishes, Booted Bantams, and many more.
Breed
A breed is a group of domestic animals or plants with a homogeneous appearance, behavior, and other characteristics that distinguish it from other animals or plants of the same species. Despite the centrality of the idea of "breeds" to animal husbandry, there is no scientifically accepted...
of bantam chicken
Bantam (chicken)
A bantam is a small variety of poultry, especially chickens. Etymologically, the name bantam is derived from the city of Bantam - currently known as "Banten Province" or previously "Banten Residency" - once a major seaport, in Indonesia...
originating from the town of Uccle
Uccle
Uccle or Ukkel is one of the nineteen municipalities located in the Brussels-Capital Region of Belgium.Uccle is known for its well-to-do areas, its green spots and its high rental rates.-History:...
on the outskirts of Brussels
Brussels
Brussels , officially the Brussels Region or Brussels-Capital Region , is the capital of Belgium and the de facto capital of the European Union...
, Belgium. The bird is frequently referred to as the Mille Fleur in the U.S., after the most common color variation (which is French for "thousand flowers").
It also has a related variant that is tailless, called the Belgian d'Everberg
Belgian d'Everberg
The Belgian d'Everberg is a breed of bantam chicken from the Belgian village of Everberg in the Kortenberg municipality. Called the Barbu d'Everberg in the original French, it is a tailless variant of the Belgian Bearded d'Uccle. It is a rare breed even in its home country, and was developed in 1906...
.
Origins
The Breed came into being in the early 19th Century, and was created by a Belgian man by the name of Michael Van Gelder. Most sources maintain that it originated from crosses of the Antwerp Belgian and the sabelpoot which is known today as the Booted BantamBooted Bantam
The Booted Bantam, also called the Dutch Booted Bantam, is a bantam breed of chicken. Its name is derived from the bird's extravagant feathering on the feet and hock joints, which are called vulture hocks or "sabels" in Dutch. With no large fowl counterpart from which it was miniaturized, the...
, and raised as a closely related but separated breed.
Appearance
Barbu D'Uccles have a low posture, a short but well developed neck and a rather open tail-feathering. D'Uccles have a single comb, different from its rose-combed relative the d'AnversBelgian Bearded d'Anvers
The Bearded d'Anvers is a breed of bantam chicken from Belgium. Also called the Antwerp Belgian, both names refer to the breed's origin in Antwerp . The d'Anvers is a true bantam, having no large counterpart from which it was miniaturized...
. The weight of a cock is around 26 ounces and a hen weighs roughly 22 ounces. The Belgian Bearded D'Uccles comes in many color variations such as: Mille Fleur, Porcelain, Black mottled, Buff mottled, Blue mottled, Blue Mille Fleur, Buff Colombian, Brown red, Red, White, Black, Buff, Blue, Colombian, Lavender, Splash, Golden Necked and Lemon.
Characteristics
The Belgian Bearded D'Uccle is renowned for being a calm bird.Bearded D'Uccle eggs are notably small and are coated with creamy or tinted coloring. The breed is known for being very broody, and a typical hen can lay her eggs over a two-week period, though others have taken as long as three weeks (21 days).In the US they are frequently referred to as Mille Fleur or Millies, in spite of the fact that Mille Fleur is only one of their color variants and it also appears in other breeds, such as Leghorns, Dutch Bantams, Old Englishes, Booted Bantams, and many more.