Belgian d Everberg: The Belgian Bantam

The Belgian d Everberg is a bantam from Belgium. The name comes from its origin in the village of Everberg. Also known as the Barbu d'Everberg, this bantam, a true bantam is near identical to the Bearded D’uccle, but is a rumpless, or tailless variety. It’s a rare breed that was first seen in 1906. It is a true bantam, no large counterpart, as with all Belgian bantams.

Belgian d Everberg, The Facts:

Class: Light

Size: 1.5 Ibs.

Comb, Wattles & Earlobes: Straight, red

Color: Popular colors are Mille Fleur and Porcelain, also Black, White, Blue, Black Mottled, Blue Mottled, Quail, Blue Quail, White Quail, Golden Neck and Cream Columbian.

Place of Origin: Belgium

Conservation Status: Rare/endangered

The Barbu d'Everberg is not a unique chicken. Other rumpless breeds include: Chabo, Araucana, Drenthe (a Dutch breed), Ardenner (another Belgian breed) . A rumpless chicken is void the final portion of the spine creating the tail carriage.

After the Great War, the d'Everberg seemed to have disappeared and became difficult if not impossible to find. The Dutch Poultry Standard reported none seen after 1918. A man named Georges Lamarche is said to have recreated the breed in the 1940’s, but the d’Everberg vanished once again.

The interest in this breed has been weak, its survival left up to a small handful, but it was successfully revived again in the late 1960‘s.

Near the beginning of the 1990’s, this still rare breed of chicken yet again experienced a revival in the capable hands of her fanciers, also a rare breed. Somehow, even with a limited following, the d’Everberg lives on and is highly prized by a few.