Assendelfter Bantam

The Assendelfter Bantam is a medium-sized, light-built fowl with a slightly upright posture that tapers gently towards the tail. It is known for its graceful appearance and active nature.

Key Features:

• Weight: Roosters weigh between 1.43-1.54 lbs (650-700g), and hens are lighter at 1.21-1.32 lbs (550-600g).
• Body Shape: The body is described as moderately deep and broad, with an upright front carriage and a moderately sloping back.
• Head: The head is medium-sized with orange-red eyes.
• Comb: A medium-sized rose comb is characteristic, ideally short and broad, with a spike (doorn) that follows the line of the neck. The comb should be finely beaded with robust and irregular points.
• Earlobes: Oval and quite small, pure white. Red edges on the earlobes are tolerated in the Dutch standard, a trait once more common.
• Legs and Feet: Legs are clean (unfeathered) and slate-blue in color, with four well-spread toes.
• Feathering: The feathering is generally tight and smooth. The tail is carried somewhat high but should not be squirrel-tailed (bending too far forward over the back). Long wings are carried slightly angled backward but should not extend beyond the body.
• Temperament: Assendelfters are very active and lively birds. Their inherent shyness means they require ample space, thriving best in free-range environments or very large runs.

Assendelfter Bantams are primarily considered good egg layers, reflecting their heritage as a utility fowl. They are known for providing a consistent supply of eggs, particularly during the spring and winter months.

• Egg Production: Hens can lay approximately 180 eggs per year. Their laying is good, but mainly concentrated in spring and winter.
• Egg Size & Color: They lay small to medium-sized eggs, weighing about 1.4 oz (40g), which are creamy white.
• Broodiness: Broodiness in Assendelfter hens occurs sporadically, and they are not considered highly reliable as mothers for natural incubation.

While both sexes share many fundamental characteristics, there are a few distinctions. Roosters are larger and typically carry their tails quite high, though it should not be so high as to form a squirrel tail. Their rose comb is prominent and firmly set.

Hens tend to have a slightly fuller abdomen, indicative of their laying capacity. Their rose comb is smaller and less prominent. A notable fault to avoid in hens is a 'horseshoe pattern' on the breast, where the penciling forms a crescent shape, or a too reddish ground color.

The Assendelfter Bantam is a hardy breed with low demands concerning housing. As a landrace, they are generally robust and adapt well to various climates.

However, their active and somewhat shy nature dictates that they thrive best with plenty of space for free-ranging or very large runs. While they do not have specific climate sensitivities, a dry, draft-free coop is always beneficial for their overall health and well-being.

The Assendelfter Bantam is recognized in several attractive penciled color varieties, inheriting its unique patterning from its ancestral lines.

The 'Penciled' Pattern

The penciling pattern (peltekening) in Assendelfters is described as being somewhat coarser than that found in Friesian Bantams. This patterning involves distinct barring or tipping on the feathers.

Recognized Varieties:

• Silver Penciled (Zilverpel): Features a silver-white ground color with fine black penciling.
• Gold & Yellow Penciled (Geelpel): This variety was formerly known as Gold Penciled (Goudpel), but the name was changed to Yellow Penciled (Geelpel) in 1996 to better reflect the lighter, yellow hue of the ground color, distinguishing it from a darker gold typically found in other breeds. The ground color is yellow with black penciling. Local variants like 'Bijltjes' (Dutch for small axes, referring to the shape of the penciling) and 'Eiergelen' (egg-yellows) are historical mentions, with 'Bijltjes' being heavily marked.
• Lemon Penciled (Citroenpel): This color is specifically recognized in the bantam variant, featuring a lemon-yellow ground color with black penciling.

Historically, Assendelfters were also known as boerengeeltjes (farmers' yellow birds) and some lines were autosexing, allowing for sex determination of day-old chicks based on color.