Bearded d'Uccle

The bearded d'Uccle is a Belgian true bantam developed around Uccle, near Brussels, and is also known as the Barbu d'Uccle or Belgian d'Uccle. It is one of the classic booted bantams: very small, broad and low in stance, with a full beard and muffs, feathered legs and feet, vulture hocks, and a single comb. Mille fleur is the best-known color, but porcelain, black, mottled, buff, and other varieties occur depending on country and registry.

Kept mainly as an ornamental and exhibition chicken, the breed is usually handled in small pens or garden flocks rather than for heavy egg production. Hens lay small tinted to cream eggs and may go broody. The feathers on the feet need dry litter and clean ground, since mud, broken quills, and leg mites can spoil condition quickly. Breeders pay close attention to beard fullness, even foot feathering, compact type, and crisp color pattern, especially in spangled varieties.