Brugse Vechter aka Bruges Fighter Thread

[Crow Mountain Chickens]

Couple of updated pictures. About 5 weeks old now. Lost one during the really hot days last week 6 remain. Not sure if heat related or what, others have been fine.

 

[Crow Mountain Chickens]

Updated pics.

 

[Bent Mountain Chickens]

Updated pics.

Hey there, I am thinking about adding some Liege Fighter into my flock, especially a Rooster to protecting the hens from Hawks. I would like to know from your experience that if that will work? Are they getting along with all breed of the standard chickens? Thank you!

 

[Otimmyboy]

Hey update... so last year I was sad because my liege was a pullet... turned out she's a HE. Lol. It took him almost a year to start crowing but I love the liege fighter. The flarry eye grey is also a beautiful rooster and great with humans and pullets.

I noted that my flarry eye grey (FEG) is VERY protective of the hens from predators or when they squawk at me getting eggs or moving them, etc. He and the liege fighter (LF) are the same age but FEG matured 3-6 months faster.

I don't care for the FEG large comb size and it looks like it got some frost bite even though we only had a couple days of temps below freezing. The pictures online at Greenfire show the FEG with a trimmed comb which I did not do. The LF looks 99.99% identical to the photos on Greenfire (where I purchased).

The FEG seems to be better at flock protection, mating bantam to extra large size, flying/roosting. The LF struggles to breed smaller hens and more clueless when the hens are upset, he is still my favorite though.

One thing for sure, I will never buy a rooster from feed store with intent to keep. The money spent on fancy, specialty roosters at Greenfire was so worth it to me when choosing a rooster to keep. I really like that they are different. I'm not sure it's just a coincidence that feed store roosters seem to be very aggressive towards people (might have to do with genetics and bred to grow too fast, etc).

 

[ProbablyChickenRelated]

Hey update... so last year I was sad because my liege was a pullet... turned out she's a HE. Lol. It took him almost a year to start crowing but I love the liege fighter. The flarry eye grey is also a beautiful rooster and great with humans and pullets.

I noted that my flarry eye grey (FEG) is VERY protective of the hens from predators or when they squawk at me getting eggs or moving them, etc. He and the liege fighter (LF) are the same age but FEG matured 3-6 months faster.

I don't care for the FEG large comb size and it looks like it got some frost bite even though we only had a couple days of temps below freezing. The pictures online at Greenfire show the FEG with a trimmed comb which I did not do. The LF looks 99.99% identical to the photos on Greenfire (where I purchased).

The FEG seems to be better at flock protection, mating bantam to extra large size, flying/roosting. The LF struggles to breed smaller hens and more clueless when the hens are upset, he is still my favorite though.

One thing for sure, I will never buy a rooster from feed store with intent to keep. The money spent on fancy, specialty roosters at Greenfire was so worth it to me when choosing a rooster to keep. I really like that they are different. I'm not sure it's just a coincidence that feed store roosters seem to be very aggressive towards people (might have to do with genetics and bred to grow too fast, etc).

I hatched Bruges along with the LV I’m from GFF. 2 of the 3 Bruges hatched. One chipmunk with a metallic sheen and one black with a brownish head. The chipmunk looks Birchen now and the black brown is turning to black/gold. I’ve had hardly any aggression issues with the Liege or Bruges, but I have 2 FEG that are cockerels I had to sequester at 5 weeks and subsequently throw outside with the big birds- MEAN. Those FEV have been trying to kill each other and everyone else. They literally bounced off of the brooder walls and ceiling, bloodying their combs. Nutso IMO. Didn’t want them, they were extras… lol. I’m not a fan, my best description is “high strung”

 

[Sic]

Yellow chick on the right is a Bruges Fighter - 2 day old. (On the left is a 5 day old partridge chantecler) Anyone know what color this Bruges will mature into? The spots are dark brown.

 

[Sic]

Day 3 - pics
Will be interesting to see what color develops I guess, I don't think it matters much, but was surprised when it hatched blond.
Normal Colors : Black, white, blue, black gold neck, black silver neck, blue gold neck, blue silver neck, birchen, gold birchen, blue birchen, blue gold birchen, partridge, silver partridge, blue partridge, blue silver partridge, red shouldered silver partridge, red shouldered blue silver partridge

 

[Sic]

I have some coming in the mail this week…I thought they were fibro?

No, they should not have fibromelanosis i.e. black skin, black feet, black legs or black tissues. Bruges should have pale skin and legs and feet should be blue or slate blue.

https://www.sle.be/wat-levend-erfgoed/rassen/brugse-vechter

 

[ProbablyChickenRelated]

Day 3 - pics
Will be interesting to see what color develops I guess, I don't think it matters much, but was surprised when it hatched blond.
Normal Colors : Black, white, blue, black gold neck, black silver neck, blue gold neck, blue silver neck, birchen, gold birchen, blue birchen, blue gold birchen, partridge, silver partridge, blue partridge, blue silver partridge, red shouldered silver partridge, red shouldered blue silver partridge

Looks like silver partridge

 

[ProbablyChickenRelated]

Looks like silver partridge

Bruges should not be fibro as you mentioned, but melanized is accepted. The Belgians call it ‘gypsy face’ for Liege and Bruges where the face is quite dark. As you said the skin should be ideally non-fibro. Based on their SOP and feedback as dark as pale blueish is acceptable, but not black. Their face and comb may give a fibro-like appearance because of how dark it is, but under the wing needs to not be dark. Here is a silver partridge chick and grow-out picture though he was cull for his comb and eye color. (The dog crate was so I could take pictures of them at the time lol)