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Origin
: At the end of the nineteenth century the local people kept a lot of
bantams on the banks of the Scheldt river in the Bléharies region
(close to Tournai). By selecting this mixture of bantams on laying
qualities and attractive plumage colors, slowly a new breed was
developed, the Tournaisis. When and how this selection took place is not
exactly known but with certainty the Tournaisis existed before the First
World War. Tradition says the Tournaisis was also known in those days as
the ‘bargemen’s bantam’ because they were often kept on boats for
the production of fresh eggs.
Characteristics
: By selection the Tournaisis became a real utility bantam. The hens lay
a good number of white-shelled eggs that weigh about 40 gram. They also
brood easily and that’s why they were also often used to sit on
pheasant eggs and to raise pheasant chicks. They can easily be kept in
small pens that are preferably closed on top.
Appearance
: Tournaisis are quit large bantams. The roosters weigh 750 to 850 gram,
the hens 650 tot 750 gram. The body is rather erected and the back
slopes towards the tail. The breast is nicely rounded and carried
forward. The comb is single, medium-sized and straight. The earlobes are
red and the shanks are pinkish white.
Varieties
: There is just one variety that looks a bit like ‘spangled’ but is
not quit the same. The hen has a wheaten or cinnamon ground color and
small white and black flecks that are irregularly spread all over the
body. The main tail feathers and the primaries are mainly black. The
rooster is black with orange hackle and saddle and also has these
irregular black and white flecks. His breast is black with brown and
white flecks.
Stat
: Rare. Mostly found in the Southern French-speaking part of Belgium.
Rare in the North. Is also bred in Holland but these birds do not
completely correspond with Belgian standards. Unknown in other
countries.
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