Barbu de Watermaal
Watermaalsche Bartzwerge (German)
Watermaalse Baard Kriel (Dutch)
A Watermaal cockerel
Photo courtesy of Sascha Michel
This Belgian bantam resembles a d'Anvers with a small, rearward-facing crest. The cocks weigh 20-22 ounces and the hens 16-18 ounces. It has a rosecomb with 3 prominent spikes and a beard and muffs. It appears in around 30 varieties, including Mille Fleur, Quail, White, Blue and Cuckoo. They tame quite easily, but the males may get aggressive in defending their hens. These males should not be bred so as to eliminate this aggressivity from the breed.
The Barbu de Watermaal was developed early in the 1900s, by Antoine Dresse, in the Belgian town of Watermaal-Bosvoorde. No one knows which breeds were used in its development, other than the Barbu d'Anvers.
Breed clubs:
ZOBK: Breeders Club
for Rare True Belgium Bantams
The Netherlands
Watermaal Links:
A page on Barbu de Watermaal from The Netherlands (in English)
A pair of Blue Watermaal
Photos courtesy of Sascha Michel
A pair of Cuckoo Watermaals
Photos courtesy of Sascha Michel
A White hen
Photo courtesy of Sascha Michel
Another pair of Barbu de Watermaal
Photo courtesy of Dale Freeburn
Two shots of a Black cockerel
Photos courtesy of Sascha Michel
A male Watermaal bantam
Photo courtesy of Dale Freeburn
A Mille Fleur Watermaal pullet
Photo courtesy of Sascha Michel
Watermaal bantam chicks or
Direct questions and comments to Barry at FeatherSite -- questions and comments
Photo courtesy of Dale Freeburn
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