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Original True Bantam
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Excellent Flyers
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Red Earlobes & Slate-Blue Legs
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Good Brooders
Waasse Bantam
Waasse Kriel
The Waasse Bantam, colloquially known as the 'steens kieksken', is an original true bantam originating from the Waasland region in Belgium. It is identical to the Belgian Bantam in almost every way, except that it features a rosecomb instead of a single comb. They are hardy, lively birds and excellent flyers that lay about 120 small white eggs a year.
Characteristics
General Appearance
The Waasse Bantam shares its general appearance with the Belgian Bantam. It is a breed without excessive frills, notable for its beautiful round shapes and richly developed ornamental feathering. The short back transitions smoothly into a broad and well-spread tail. They are very active and are known as excellent flyers.
Physical Traits
- Weight: They are small without exaggeration. Roosters typically weigh between 1.21-1.43 lbs (550-650g), and hens weigh between 1.10-1.21 lbs (500-550g).
- Comb: The defining characteristic of the Waasse Bantam is its rosecomb. This is the sole feature that distinguishes it from the single-combed Belgian Bantam.
- Earlobes: Red, without any trace of white.
- Tail: The tail is broad and well-spread, flowing in a smooth line from the short back.
- Shanks: The legs (shanks) are slate-blue in color.
- Ring Size: Roosters use an 11 mm ring, and hens use a 10 mm ring.
Egg Laying
Despite their small size, these bantams are reasonably productive and require very little maintenance.
- Egg Production: Hens lay approximately 120 eggs per year.
- Egg Size & Color: The eggs are small and white, weighing around 30 to 35 grams.
- Broodiness: The hens are good brooders that incubate their eggs with a lot of love, and the chicks are very strong and grow up quickly.
Hen vs Rooster
Besides the standard sexual dimorphism in poultry (such as sickle feathers in roosters), both the hen and rooster share the same compact, rounded body type. If allowed to free-range, hens are known to hide their eggs and can be quite elusive, only allowing humans to approach within 1 to 2 meters.
Climate
These birds are very hardy and lively. Because they are excellent flyers, it is highly recommended to keep them in a covered run or aviary. They can roam free in large gardens with high fences, but they tend to wander in small groups.
Color Varieties
The Waasse Bantam is recognized in the same wide variety of colors as its single-combed counterpart. The recognized varieties include:
- Partridge (Patrijs)
- Silver Partridge (Zilverpatrijs)
- Blue Partridge (Blauwpatrijs)
- White Partridge (Witpatrijs)
- Blue Silver Partridge (Blauwzilverpatrijs)
- Red-shouldered Silver Partridge (Roodgeschouderd zilverpatrijs)
- Red-shouldered Blue Silver Partridge (Roodgeschouderd blauwzilverpatrijs)
- Wheaten (Tarwe)
- Silver Wheaten (Zilvertarwe)
- Black (Zwart)
- White (Wit)
- Blue (Blauw)
History
Because the Waasse Bantam is essentially the rosecomb variant of the Belgian Bantam, it shares the same deep ancestral roots. Both breeds trace their lineage back to the traditional, partridge-colored 'English bantam' ('Engels kiekske'). This ancestral bantam type had existed in Europe for centuries, with various countries selectively breeding their own localized versions.
While the single-combed Belgian Bantam was primarily developed around Liège (Luik) starting around 1900, the Waasse Bantam emerged specifically in the Waasland region of Flanders. Here, breeders selected for a distinct rosecomb, which remains the only characteristic separating it from the Belgian Bantam. Colloquially referred to by locals as the "steens kieksken", the Waasse Bantam has always been a more localized fowl. Today, while its single-combed counterpart has found some popularity in Flanders, the Waasse Bantam is considered a very rare breed.