CHOOK OF THE WEEK:View attachment 1945489
HA'PENNY
I always knew I was going to have Campines ~ just when was the thing. Although we'd kept chooks before I really didn't know much about the different breeds & I was nervous about starting up again [a little learning being a dangerous thing] so I did my research & went with calm, docile breeds to start: BRs & Australorps. Everyone forgot to mention how dominant they are ~ though now I just have the BRs they are much calmer.
The Campine originated in northern Belgium ['Ello Poirot] & is considered both rare & endangered [it's on the critical list in the USA]~ a good reason for keeping them in my book. It is related to the Fayoumi [Egyptian breed that looks a bit like a large Sebright].
So when I did my 2nd buy I knew I wanted to come home with Campines. Silver were my preference but we ended up with goldies. These girls aren't the easiest chickens. They are flighty, skittish birds that are excellent fliers, don't much like being handled & screamers. I wasn't expecting the screaming. I got conflicting advice on confinement but I have found they settle well to confinement now they know trust their chicken keeper. They do like to forage & are happiest where the litter is deepest.
Ha'penny is the more dominant of my 2 Campines. She has the blue ear~lobes.Tuppence's are whiter. She was also the first to calm down around me & allow me to handle her without hitting the panic button. She actually enjoys people company so long as you don't want to pet her & they are talkers! Possibly the loudest of my girls. They do have quite loud raucous voices but they are gentle when hand fed & incredibly inquisitive. Two of my smarter birds.
Campines are a medium sized bird ~ quite fragile when handling. They were bred as egg layers & then primarily for showing so not a good dual purpose bird. Their eggs are white medium sized eggs but my girls lay well & consistently & produce a lovely egg. They don't eat as much as my bigger girls either though there's nothing wrong with their appetites!
I absolutely adore these birds. They are smart, funny, whimsical & worth the time & energy needed to calm them down enough to be handled. And they are downright gorgeous eye candy!
lol They really are nosey~rosies! She was looking up trying to figure out if, just possibly, I had treats hidden with the camera!
Yeah, I'm having to discourage Lavender, poor girl. She isn't the brightest light on the tree & can't quite figure out why I won't let her scrabble in my hand. She has a very thick, tough beak & she really hurts so her time is limited! Everything about the Campines is a little timid so they are very gentle ~ & yes...don't the wattles feel funny?!
Self control. Self control. I really am better to wait another few months. I know this but it is burning a hole in my soul when I think about some more chookies...
That's a frameable photo of Ha'penny Ribh. Beautiful girl too!CHOOK OF THE WEEK:View attachment 1945489
HA'PENNY
I always knew I was going to have Campines ~ just when was the thing. Although we'd kept chooks before I really didn't know much about the different breeds & I was nervous about starting up again [a little learning being a dangerous thing] so I did my research & went with calm, docile breeds to start: BRs & Australorps. Everyone forgot to mention how dominant they are ~ though now I just have the BRs they are much calmer.
The Campine originated in northern Belgium ['Ello Poirot] & is considered both rare & endangered [it's on the critical list in the USA]~ a good reason for keeping them in my book. It is related to the Fayoumi [Egyptian breed that looks a bit like a large Sebright].
So when I did my 2nd buy I knew I wanted to come home with Campines. Silver were my preference but we ended up with goldies. These girls aren't the easiest chickens. They are flighty, skittish birds that are excellent fliers, don't much like being handled & screamers. I wasn't expecting the screaming. I got conflicting advice on confinement but I have found they settle well to confinement now they know trust their chicken keeper. They do like to forage & are happiest where the litter is deepest.
Ha'penny is the more dominant of my 2 Campines. She has the blue ear~lobes.
Campines are a medium sized bird ~ quite fragile when handling. They were bred as egg layers & then primarily for showing so not a good dual purpose bird. Their eggs are white medium sized eggs but my girls lay well & consistently & produce a lovely egg. They don't eat as much as my bigger girls either though there's nothing wrong with their appetites!
I absolutely adore these birds. They are smart, funny, whimsical & worth the time & energy needed to calm them down enough to be handled. And they are downright gorgeous eye candy!
