Campine Chicken thread?

[Drieslag]

As far as I know there are only standards in the UK, US and Australia. What I did, is dissect these three standards and compared them on all subitems. Plus I compared them to the old Belgian Campine standard. Next I made a translation in Dutch of a kind of synthesis of the first three and laid some stress on characteristics that refer to the old style Campine. Such as a more closed tail on the hen instead of the fan type.

The English Campine hen in the picture above is indeed more of the old Campine type than the Danish hens we have walking around. These are the Danish pullets of last year, I don't know how they look right now, there living somewhere else.

 

[Wisher1000]

I would sell my first born child for a trio of those birds........especially this week.

Keep the pics coming!

 

[Drieslag]

An oldie!
also see first pages of https://archive.org/details/catalogueofsilve00phip
it's one of C.A. Phipps's

 

[Wisher1000]

That's cool!

I am going through some transitions in my breeding program. I guess it's the "one step back" that you sometimes have to make. I'm working on vigor, type, and in freshening the gene pool. I am getting some size increase already, but I am getting a lot of black ticking in the hackles. I have no idea how long it will take to get it back out, but I'm in it for the long run, so I guess it doesn't matter. *Sigh*

 

[lawatt]

That's cool!

I am going through some transitions in my breeding program. I guess it's the "one step back" that you sometimes have to make. I'm working on vigor, type, and in freshening the gene pool. I am getting some size increase already, but I am getting a lot of black ticking in the hackles. I have no idea how long it will take to get it back out, but I'm in it for the long run, so I guess it doesn't matter. *Sigh*

i'm seeing the same thing in my girls -- although one that had no black in the hackles in her first year, does after last fall's big molt -- so i wonder whether it varies from year to year? i've still got tails that are too high, too...

 

[Wisher1000]

Laura, that's not good news to me. I was hoping that the hackles would be whiter after the molt, not darker. Oh, well......

Those high tails are an issue with most all the modern Campines here in the US. I was really excited about a few that looked really good, only to realize that they were roach backed and that was lowering the tail set. At least you know when you see those vertical tails that you likely have nice flat backs.

I'm a glass half full kinda' girl.

 

[Drieslag]

And another one I just received. Old Belgian style Campines in the 1890's.

 

[lawatt]

Laura, that's not good news to me. I was hoping that the hackles would be whiter after the molt, not darker. Oh, well......

Those high tails are an issue with most all the modern Campines here in the US. I was really excited about a few that looked really good, only to realize that they were roach backed and that was lowering the tail set. At least you know when you see those vertical tails that you likely have nice flat backs.

I'm a glass half full kinda' girl.

excellent attitude!

i'm planning on separating the rooster & one or two of the whitest-necked girls for egg collection a little later in the season, to see if i can get a hatch with better hackles... something to shoot for, at least!

 

[Wisher1000]

Laura, how are your weights? I am very anxious to get them up to where they need to be. I have a couple of roosters that are getting close, but the hens are not.

I also have been watching my birds' top and bottom lines pretty closely.

I still have lots of work to do with feather quality (too narrow in the flights and tails) and with the width between the legs (I want to be able to put my fist through there.)

We won't even talk about barring, even though it is an "in your face" kind of fault.

Then there's combs - my girls are really good, but the roosters combs are way too big and coarse. I've heard that it comes with raising them in the hot/humid south, but how can it change any faster than the other points? I have birds from Minnesota and Maine.

I have to brag on the eye color in the birds I have, very dark, and the enamel white in the earlobes looks great in the boys with only a dot of red here and there, and blue-ish in the girls. Is that okay? I haven't noticed it mentioned in the SOP.

I know that this breed is a hot mess, but that is the challenge, right? They are a joy to have in the yard. They are so beautiful! When I see pics of those that are overseas and closer to what they should be (like the pics Drieslag posted) it literally makes me gasp. I want to get there so badly.

Slow and steady, Lisa, slow and steady..........

 

[swamperkk]

i have golden campines,there are two colors on the ear lobs,one is white and the other is green,the legs are lead color on the white lobs and the green logs legs are green,their tails are long and narrow up,and they have a loud crow,the hens are both green and white also