Houdan Bantam

The Houdan Bantam is a bird of substance, possessing a full and deep body that gives it a rectangular appearance. It stands out due to several rare anatomical features, most notably its five toes. The fifth toe is distinct, situated above the back toe and pointing slightly upward.

• Head: Features a prominent skull protuberance (schedelknobbel) upon which a massive crest is seated.
• Comb: A specialized leaf comb (bladerkam) consisting of two toothed blades that look like the leaves of an oak tree.
• Beard: A full, three-part beard that covers the face and chin, though it must leave the eyes visible.
• Legs: Clean (non-feathered) and white/flesh-colored with black mottling in the standard variety.
• Weight: Roosters weigh approximately 31-34 oz (875-975g), while hens are roughly 28-31 oz (800-875g).

Despite being primarily kept for show, the Houdan Bantam is a good layer of white eggs. They were historically bred from high-production French stock, and the bantam version maintains a respectable output of about 160 eggs per year. The eggs are quite large for a bantam, averaging around 1.2 oz (35g).

Unlike many other ornamental breeds, Houdan hens are known to become regularly broody and make attentive mothers. Because of their crests, they may need lower nesting boxes so they can see their surroundings clearly while entering and exiting.

The most striking difference between the sexes lies in the crest structure. The hen's crest is typically more globular and uniform (bolrond), composed of wide, rounded feathers. In contrast, the rooster's crest is more flowing, with feathers that look more like hackle feathers, often falling slightly back to expose the comb.

The rooster's tail is richly feathered with long, curved sickles, while the hen's tail is moderately long and well-spread. Roosters also exhibit the characteristic leaf comb more prominently, whereas the hen's comb is smaller and often partially obscured by her larger, denser crest.

Houdan Bantams are considered moderately hardy, but they have specific housing requirements. Due to their large crests and beards, they are highly sensitive to moisture and dirt. Wet feathers on the head can lead to eye infections and poor visibility, making the birds flighty or easy targets for predators.

It is strongly recommended to keep them in covered, dry runs. Using a specialized water fountain (such as a nipple waterer or a narrow-trough 'drinktorentje') is essential to keep their beards from getting soaked and soiled while drinking.

The Mottled (Zwartbont) variety is the hallmark of the breed. These birds have deep black plumage with a brilliant green sheen, with about half of the feathers ending in a white V-shaped or crescent-shaped spangle. As the birds age, the amount of white in their plumage typically increases with each molt.

Other recognized but rarer varieties include White and Lavender (Parelgrijs). Regardless of the color, the white earlobes and reddish-brown eye color remain constant breed standards.

While the large Houdan is a classic French breed from the town of Houdan, the bantam version was primarily developed in England around 1940. Breeders crossed small Houdans with other bantam breeds, likely including the Ancona and Polish (Baardkuifkriel), to achieve the desired miniaturization while retaining the five toes and crest.

German breeders, specifically Schierloh from Bremen, also played a major role in refining the breed during the 1950s, leading to its formal recognition in 1959. Though beautiful, it remains a rare breed in many countries and is mostly kept by specialist exhibition breeders.