Campine

The Campine is a small Belgian chicken from the Campine or Kempen region, closely related to the larger Braekel type. It is a light, alert fowl with white earlobes, a single comb, clean legs, and a silver or golden neck over a body crossed by sharp black barring. In many standards the cock is hen-feathered, so he lacks the long sickles and pointed hackles expected in most roosters, giving both sexes a more similar outline.

Campines are kept mainly by exhibition breeders, rare-breed flocks, and people who enjoy active white-egg layers. They range widely, fly well, and can be nervous in crowded pens, so a covered run or generous pasture with secure roosting is useful. Hens are usually not persistent sitters, which suits egg production but means incubators or foster hens are commonly used for hatching. Breeding attention goes to crisp markings, correct size, comb quality, and vigor; the breed is attractive but unforgiving of sloppy pattern selection.

Colors: Barred, Birchen, Black, Blue, Brown, Buff, Columbian, Crele, Cuckoo, Duckwing, Gold, Gold Laced, Laced, Lavender, Mille Fleur, Mottled, Partridge, Penciled, Porcelain, Red, Silver, Silver Laced, Spangled, Splash, Wheaten, White