Crevecoeur Bantam
The Crevecoeur bantam is the miniature form of the French Crèvecœur chicken, keeping the breed's black plumage, rounded crest, beard and muffs, and V-shaped horn comb in a smaller exhibition bird. It is not a separate species and should not be confused with any small black crested cross. Good examples look like scaled-down large fowl, with enough body depth to suggest the original Normandy utility breed.
Bantams need less space than large Crèvecœurs, but their crests still call for sheltered pens, dry litter, and checks for mites around the face. They are commonly kept for showing, breeding, and ornamental flocks, with small eggs as a secondary benefit. Because numbers are limited, buyers should ask about age, mature size, and the standard used by the breeder; overlarge birds, weak crests, or poorly shaped combs can quickly move a line away from type.
