Mechelse Kalkoenkop
Mechelse Kalkoenkop, or Mechelen turkey-head chicken, is a rare Belgian heavy fowl related to the Malines tradition around Mechelen. The name refers to the turkey-like head and expression, not to turkey ancestry. It was developed as a meat bird and is commonly described as combining Malines blood with Belgian game-type stock such as Brugse Vechter. That background gives it a broad body, strong legs, a more severe head, and often cuckoo-patterned plumage.
In practice it is a conservation and specialist breeder's chicken rather than a common backyard layer. The breed is valued for size and table qualities, so young birds need steady growth, dry footing, and enough space to keep heavy bodies sound. Males may be more assertive than ordinary Malines in some lines, making temperament a useful selection point. Breeding work should watch fertility, leg strength, and correct head type. It should not be confused with the more familiar Malines or Mechelse Koekoek; ask breeders how they separate the two in their flock.
Colors: Barred, Birchen, Black, Blue, Brown, Buff, Columbian, Crele, Cuckoo, Duckwing, Gold, Gold Laced, Laced, Lavender, Mille Fleur, Mottled, Partridge, Penciled, Porcelain, Red, Silver, Silver Laced, Spangled, Splash, Wheaten, White
