The Campine is a small, close-feathered Belgian breed kept for centuries in the Campine region for its white eggs. Hens carry narrow black bars ringing a gold or silver ground on every feather but the solid head, and the breed is hen-feathered: roosters show the same markings instead of long pointed hackles. They are alert, active foragers that lay well for their size, seldom go broody, and much prefer range to a run. The Livestock Conservancy lists the breed as threatened, so expect to source from a specialist rather than a large hatchery.
Heat tolerant
Flighty
Egg colorWhite
Egg production140–200 / year
TemperamentFlighty
BroodinessRare
ClimateHeat tolerant
PurposeEggs
Weight
Large fowl (Standard size)
Hen3.5–4.5 lb
Rooster5–6 lb
Bantam (Miniature size)
Hen1.3 lb
Rooster1.5 lb
How to spot it
CombSingle
Single — upright in roosters, folding to one side in hens
Earlobes
White
Plumage
Narrow black barring across a gold or silver ground, with a solid unbarred head and neck
Look for
Hen-feathering — roosters lack the long pointed saddle and hackle feathers most breeds show and are marked like the hens
Single
