TOURNAISIS BANTAMS By: Jan Schaareman (NL) About 15 years ago, a breeder in the vicinity of Breda (a city in the south of the Netherlands) asked me for some gold Brakel Bantams. I knew he had Tournaisis Bantams as they had previously caught my eye at a show in Ghent (Belgium) so I swapped the Brakels for some Tournaisis. I remember that the combs then were very poor, however I knew it is rather easy to make a selection to improve combs, so that didn t worry me at all. One of the things that struck me most is that no two Tournaisis look the same. It is hopeless to try to perfect colour there are always birds that are too brown, too black or too white. This is one of the reasons I keep them I like the variation. Origin Tournaisis are quite large bantams that originated along the banks of the river Scheldt, where it crosses the French border into Belgium. Recently I heard from a local breeder that the Tournaisis were particularly popular with the boatmen who pulled the tug-boats along the canals. It is known that these bantams were kept on these boats well before 1900 hence their original name: poule des bateliers or boatmen chickens. At that time they were known in various colours but today only the three-coloured variety is recognised. Breeding Tournaisis bantams are quite easy to keep their old name boatmen chicken indicates something of their character. It is known that they make few demands, they even settle for a small coop. These large-sized bantams lay a good number
of eggs and were also kept to hatch partridges and pheasants. To this day, the Tournaisis is an excellent sitter and if the eggs are not taken from the nest, the hens will go broody after laying 10-12 eggs. The hens may aggressively defend the nest and chicks, even though normally they are very docile. Left: Tournaisis at Luc Lambrechts in Doornik (B) The eggs hatch easily, and might hatch a day earlier (at day 20) in an incubator. At my place the down of the chicks are always wheatencoloured, while other breeders have partridge-coloured chicks. After recent changes in the standard description calling for a lighter ground colour at the females (cinnamon), the latter are no longer wanted. The chicks grow up without problems. At five weeks it is already possible to select on the combs. Also it is possible to say something of the black and white marking; male chicks that show much black will have a too black breast when matured. Judging the right ground colour can only be done later. It is important to make the right selection concerning the marking. Personally I experienced that the cockerels already in an early stage become too black and the pullets too brown. In the cockerels the black colour quickly dominates in the breast, whilst the pullets get an almost unmarked brown chest. So I preferably keep the brownish cockerels and the darker marked pullets. Right: Three cockerels. The one in the middle with many brown patches in the breast, is probably the best one for the show. In the breeding pen I would still prefer the one to the left, with more black patches. Even in the breeding pen it is difficult to select on colour and marking, therefore, I prefer to make a selection based on comb, body type and eye-colour. Only after that I select on colour. The feather colour looks like the tri-colour of a spangled Orloff, but more patchy. The pullets sometimes show a lopped comb when they get older. It is best not use these hens in the breeding pen.
As with every breed, selection should not be too strict, or else there will be no birds left. Overly strict selection will be a death knell for the Tournaisis. Left: Three pullets. To me, the one in the middle is the best. The one to the left has not enough black. The ground colour of the one to the right is likei t was wanted earlier, no we want a more cinnamon colour. Standard Description The Tournaisis is a larger sized bantam of the land fowl type. The cock carries his tail high, straight to the back, while the hen carries her tail at an angle of about 45. The breast is well rounded. The ears are red, although some white may appear when they get older. It is a laying chicken and should have the required structure to fulfil this role. For a full standard description I will refer to the attached text below, by Pierre Sadaune, judge and chairman of the Belgian Standard Committee, with our thanks for his contribution. Colour The only recognised colour is the three-coloured variety. In the show-pen the three colours (brown, black and white) must be visible, while the ground colour of the hens must not be too dark. This ground colour is described as cinnamon or as coffee with a lot of milk. If you keep and breed the best coloured birds, the offspring will become whiter and whiter, especially on the wings. While a few white primaries will be tolerated, judges don t like white wings. Mostly these feathers are not fully white. The same applies to the body; the colours must be evenly divided over the whole bird. It is impossible to describe the colour; that is why the standard description has been changed so frequently. Left: A cockerel with very good colour and markings. In particular, the cocks must have a threecoloured breast, while the hens need irregular black and white spots all over the cinnamon-coloured body. Although the black and white colour patches are irregular divided over the body, there must be some harmony to it. Importantly, the ground colour is cinnamon a colour unique for the breed.
Right: Another one of my roosters, a few year ago. Some years ago I took some of my own birds to Belgium to review and compare the Tournaisis breed. My own birds proved to be too red in ground colour, even though at that time that was the correct colour in the Netherlands. At home I had a thorough look at all my birds. Some had the required lighter ground colour and this is one of the reasons why Dutch breeders were able to adapt quickly to the new Belgian (and European) standard. Nevertheless, I think it is important to not be too strict when selecting for colour as it is better to have too much colour/pigment in your breeding stock than too little. Without sufficient colour reserves, the birds tend to end up with white flights and other colour faults. The best birds will always show themselves anyway. The redder (partridge-coloured) hens often have a lot of black stippling in the ground colour and even in the lighter (wheaten-coloured) hens some black stippling in the ground colour is difficult to avoid. Above and right: An old hen with black stippling in the ground colour. In conclusion It is virtually impossible to describe an ideally-coloured Tournaisis Bantam. Marking is not such a big issue in this breed but I tried anyway.
Right: A nicely marked pullet. Below: A cockerel of only 2 months old; too young for judging the colour. Right: A pullet with too few black and white spots. Below: A pullet with too red ground colour. I like to compare the Tournaisis with the Dutch and Belgian landscape: in the North, especially in the polders, the roads are straight and all is wellorganised. The further south you go, the roads become more winding and all is less refined. Finally you reach the (French-speaking) Walloon Region of Belgium. This is the area of the boatmen chicken. Here, nature and culture are not as organised as in the North, something you will also notice as a chicken breeder. It is no wonder that breeding Tournaisis is surprising; although I have bred Tournaisis for many years now without adding new blood, birds with many different colours still appear in my strain. Breeding Tournaisis keeps on amazing me it is one of the charms of the breed and one of the reasons I have them for many years now. Text below is a Contribution of Pierre Sadaune Judge and Chairman of the National Standard Committee of Belgium.
Standard of the Tournaisis Bantam Country of origin: Belgium. The banks of the river Scheldt, in the small towns of Bléharies, in the region of Tournai. The first selection took place at the end of the 19 th century. Often called boatmen chicken (poule des bateliers). In the region of Tournai the bird is also called Chicken of Bléharies, Millefleur of Tournai and also Little Boldy. The breed is frequently used to hatch partridges and pheasants. Probably they originated from small North-French Game (Combattant du Nord) and local bantams. This small bird became very docile and often wandered through houses through open doors and windows. Their main homes were the tug-boats sailing on the river Scheldt hence the name, boatmen chicken. The first real selection took place before World War I by Leon Duquesne, a schoolteacher from Bléharies. He succeeded in breeding a lot of good-looking and homogeneous boatmen chickens that passed on the desired characteristics to their offspring. As it so often happens, Mr Duquesne moved on to pencilled chickens and Orpingtons, and sold all his Tournaisis bantams to a Mr du Manoir. The World War I years of 1914-18 did the rest... In 1985, the Standard Committee proposed changes to the standard mainly in respect to colour. These changes were ratified by the Assembly of the National Federation and, more recently, further changes to the standard were made. Right: Illustration by V. Tonglet, in an article by L. Duquesne published in The Horticulture Mail (March 1947). This represents a good type of a Tournaisis Bantam. Below: Another illustration by V. Tonglet, Augustus (September 1941). This bird looks too much like a spangled Old English bantam and is not well bred. Belgian Standard of the Tournaisis Bantam. General appearance: active, larger than an average bantam. Well-developed hackles, well-rounded breast, back medium long, somewhat sloping to the tail, which is carried high and upright. The colour of the breed is unique. Characteristics: hardy and lively. The hens lay well although they do go broody and are good mothers. The eggs are white and weigh about 25-40g. The breed prefers to range freely but can also be kept in a small coop.
Features of the cock Body: vigorous, broad, somewhat sloping and tapering in width towards the tail, upright stance. Neck: medium long, upright, somewhat bent. Head: fine, rounded skull. Comb: single; straight; medium size; five serrations; blade does not follow the neck and is nearly horizontal; of fine texture; bright red in colour. Beak: strong; well curved to the end; slate-coloured. Wattles: medium sized; rounded; of fine texture; bright red in colour. Lobes: small; bright red in colour. Face: smooth; fine textured; bright red in colour. Eyes: large; round; lively; orange/red in colour. Back: medium long; broad; sloping to the tail. Breast: broad; well-rounded; very muscular Wings: well folded; carried close and somewhat low but not hanging. Tail: well developed; carried high but not squirrel; well spread; feathers broad and long; main tail feathers covered by well-developed and curved sickles; the two top tail feathers are slightly curved. Thighs: medium long; visible. Shanks (Legs): medium length; strong; smooth; finely scaled; rose-white. Toes: four; well spread; same colour as legs. Nails: well bent; slate-coloured. Plumage: lying close to body; fluff medium. Hackles: well developed and flowing. Saddle: well developed. Features of the hen The same features as the cock, taking into account the common differences between cock and hen, except for: Back: medium long, somewhat sloping; sweeping in a smooth curve to the end of the tail. Abdomen: well developed but not too deep. Tail: half-open; carried at an angle of 45 to the back.
Defects - White in earlobes (not tolerated in the male, difficult to prevent in the female). - Too long or too short legs; - Eyes too light or too dark; - Tail not sufficiently developed; - Tail carried too high or too low; - Breast too narrow. Disqualifications - White lobes; - Yellow in shanks, beak or skin (tracks of slate in shanks). Weights Males: cockerel: 750g; cock: 850g. Females: pullet: 650g; hen: 750g. The only recognised colour is three-coloured. Note: My text is, with a few exceptions, based on the new Belgian Standard. The words in italic are my own opinion. What is three-coloured? The feathering consists of three colours: black, white and light mahogany-coloured (cock) or cinnamon-coloured (hen). The ground colour is mahogany (cock) or cinnamon (hen); the black and white markings are spread irregularly, but the overall look is harmonious. The individual feathers can be single coloured or can have two or three colours. Left: Tournaisis bantam hen. Breeder : Pierre Sadaune. Photo : Richard Deravet. Description of the colour of the male: Head: red, sometimes with black or white spots. Hackle and saddle: clear orange-coloured without black hackle striping, while lightly coloured orange downwards with as many as possible black and white spots (white spangled). Shoulders and back: light mahogany, irregular black and white spots. Tail: Black sickles with green shine. Sometimes with white feathers.
Wings: Wing bow: light mahogany with irregular black and white spots. Wing coverts: black with green shine, irregular mahogany and white spots. Primaries: black, black and white, white, sometimes brown spots. Secondaries: Inner vane: black, black and white, white. Outer vane: brown. A few (fully) white feathers are tolerated. Neck, breast, thighs and abdomen: black, irregularly marked with mahogany and white spots. Fluff: greyish. The description of the colour of the female: The ground colour is cinnamon with irregular black and white spots. Tail: the main tail feathers are black, irregular white spots, the colour of the two upper main tail feathers are coloured identically as the tail coverts. Wings: the wing bay has the same colour as the body. Primaries: black or black and white, sometimes cinnamon spots. A few fully white primary feathers are tolerated. Right: A female with very good ground colour and the wanted irregular black and white spots.
Defects of the colour: - Ground colour too dark. - Domination of black or white. - Too few black or white spots. - Ground colour showing too much black stippling in the hen (it is difficult to breed a hen without black stippling). - Breast of the cock with ochre ground colour. - Breast of the male lacking white or mahogany spots. - Absence of black and white spots (white feather tips) in hackle and saddle. - Signs of partridge colour (black-red): distinctive black hackle striping in the hackle of male and female, a (too) golden hackle in the hen (too much visible black stippling) - Breast of the hen too light. Clubs that represent the interests of this breed are: De Belgische Vereniging ter Promotie van Belgische Neerhofdieren www.belgischepluimveerassen.be and the ZOBK-Club voor Zeldzame Oorspronkelijke Belgische Krielhoenderrassen www.zobk.nl Copyright 2013 Aviculture-Europe. All rights reserved by VBC. This is a publication by the online magazine www.aviculture-europe.nl You are not allowed to copy, distribute, send or publish these texts or photos without our prior permission in writing.