Chicken Breed Focus - Campine

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@Drieslag stunning birds and a great background story. Thanks!

 

[Alexandra33]

@Wisher1000 and @Drieslag, your birds are incredible. I hold nothing but respect for you two as breeders, and wonderfully kind ones, at that!

-Alex

 

[chicken4prez]

Agreed @Alexandra33 !

 

[Alexandra33]

@pipdzipdnreadytogo , Ihi is quite adorable with her ornery face that reminds me so much of Alex's! Isn't it just like a Campine to go where she knows she shouldn't be, especially if there are enticing, tasty plants screaming to be devoured?

That happened to me once, only it wasn't Alex (wow, that's surprising), it was the ducks.

Frou-Frou sounded like a wonderful girl.....very much like Eperny, my own Splash.

-Alex

 

[Wisher1000]

Thanks, you two! What we really need is more serious breeders. I am thrilled that the breed is getting more much-needed (and deserved) attention these days, but that will not bring them back. Campines, especially the silvers, were once one of the most common birds in the US. They were extremely popular and were as common in the show ring as in the backyard. Today, you rarely see them in shows and the backyard birds are getting further and further from standard.

I am making a plea to anyone reading this thread to seriously consider dedicating at least five years to breeding Campines. I am not talking about "multiplying" their numbers, but to improving the quality and consistency of the breed.

All you have to do is...

1) Get and study the American Poultry Association Standard of Perfection (SOP)
2) Acquire the best foundation stock you possibly can find (this was the hardest step for me)
3) Hatch as many chicks as you can responsibly house to a year old - you can make progress hatching as few as 25 but 60 is generally considered minimum - the more you hatch, the faster your improvement
4) Cull hard (this is likely the hardest part for the new breeder) and carefully select next season's breeder stock
5) Rinse and repeat!

If you need help, I'm here. PM me or if you are serious, I'll give you my cell phone number for texts or calls anytime. I would love to see more Campines at the shows and would be tickled pink if you were beating me! Seriously! That would mean that you were turning out good, quality, standard Campines, and would spur me to work even harder. Campines are far from taking 'Best in Class,' much less 'Grand Champion,' but it would be nice to have some other people breeding and showing them to compete (friendly competition) against just amongst ourselves. If you can't or don't care to show, that's fine. The sense of pride and accomplishment in just seeing improvements and knowing "I did that" is often reward enough.

Think about it, please, and if you are game, let me know!

 

[Wisher1000]

My study materials. They stay on the bar/counter all the time!

Bookmarks and notes in my SOP. I DIDNT STUDY THIS HARD IN COLLEGE!

 

[Drieslag]

Unfortunately I don't have a copy of the last ASAP (hard to get it in Belgium) but over here we make do with this 1914 drawing as the ideal to strive for.
And not forgetting productivity and liveliness in the hens as well.
The hen accompanying the rooster in the picture below was close to perfect, but was considered to have a tail that was too fanlike. You can look her up on archive.org, she 's still probably a lot better than what most of us have.

 

[Wisher1000]

Who couldn't love that?!!

 

[TBirdsTheWord33]

I must say that even in diagram form, that rooster is simply regal, @Drieslag . Who among us wouldn’t love to have a bird like that based on looks alone...and the mischievous, silly Campine temperament would make it even better! I am fascinated by your story of how the Campine was reintroduced to its homeland after many decades of absence and is now making a comeback. Kudos to you and your fellow breeders for bringing about its revival. Best wishes to you all!

@Wisher1000 , two of my favorites, the Campine and Sumatra, show up as "Critical" on The Livestock Conservancy CPL. I agree with you that more serious, dedicated breeders are urgently needed, and I will consider your "challenge."

 

[wingedshade]

These are such gorgeous birds! I've always drooled over them in the magazines, but never got any. I'm glad to know there are people working towards a Campine comeback!