Combattant de Bruges Chicken Breed – Origin, Traits & Facts

Combattant de Bruges

The Brugse Vechter, French: Combattant de Bruges, is an endangered Belgian breed of gamecock. It dates from the early nineteenth century, and was bred specifically for cock-fighting. It named for its area of origin, that of the city of Bruges (Brugge), in West Flanders in the north-east of Belgium. It is one of three Belgian breeds of fighting-cock, the others being the Luikse Vechter and the Tiense Vechter. It is a hardy breed, but the birds are often aggressive; those reared for exhibition may show less aggression.

Habitat

The Combattant de Bruges originates from the city of Bruges in West Flanders, Belgium. Historically, these gamecocks were kept in environments conducive to their role in cock-fighting. They are now primarily found in exhibition settings, though they retain their hardiness and adaptability to various conditions.

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Characteristics

Sizeunknown

Wing Spanunknown

Male Weight4.5 kg

Female Weight3.5 kg

Life Expectancy8 years

Ease of Keeping

Beginner friendly: 2/5

Useful to know

The Combattant de Bruges is an ancient breed originally bred for cock-fighting, a practice now outlawed in many areas. Despite its historic use, the breed is known for its hardiness and adaptability. It is often retained for exhibition purposes today, and individuals adapted for this are less aggressive.

Gallery

Head of a cock

Blue-red (blue golden-salmon) colouring

Behaviour

Temperamentaggressive

Flightinesshigh

Foraging Abilitygood

Confinement Tolerance

These birds have a high energy level and can be aggressive, which may make them less suited for confinement. They do best in environments that allow for plenty of space and activity. When raised for exhibition, their aggression may be tempered.

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Identification

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Requires Supplement

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Coucou des Flandres

The Coucou des Flandres, Dutch: Vlaamse Koekoek, is an endangered Belgian breed of domestic chicken. It may have a common origin with the Malines from the area of Mechelen, in the province of Antwerp in Flanders, or may indeed represent the original type of that breed before it was cross-bred in the nineteenth century with various different types of imported Oriental chicken. By the time of the First World War it had disappeared; it was re-created in the years before the Second World War. It is critically endangered in Belgium, but more numerous in Picardy in France. It may also be known as the Poulet de Dendre, for the Dender river in its area of origin.

Malines

The Malines, Dutch: Mechelse Koekoek, is a Belgian breed of large domestic chicken. It originates from the area of Mechelen, in the province of Antwerp in Flanders, for which it is named. It was created in the nineteenth century by cross-breeding local cuckoo-patterned farm chickens with various different types of imported Oriental chicken. With the Jersey Giant, it is among the heaviest of all chicken breeds. It is valued for the quality of its meat, which is pale in colour and fine-textured.

Chantecler

The Chantecler is a Canadian breed of dual-purpose chicken, reared for both egg and meat production. It was bred in the early twentieth century at the Oka Agricultural Institute in Oka, Quebec, and is the only chicken breed originating in Canada. It is characterised by close-fitting feathering, a small or vestigial cushion-shaped comb and small or vestigial wattles, all of which make it more resistant than many other breeds to the extreme cold of the Canadian winter.