Mechelse koekoek.
History: During the first half of the nineteenth century, the large clean-legged cuckoo chicken named the Flemish Cuckoo, was popular amongst farmers throughout Dendermonde and Mechelen in Belgium. As large Asiatic breeds were imported to France, Belgian farmers crossed these asiatic birds to their Flemish Cuckoo, creating the Mechelse Koekoek. The single-combed Mechelse Koekoek chicken was also crossed with the Bruges Game chicken, and the resulting variety became known as the "Turkeyhead Malines".Up until the World Wars in Europe, the Malines chicken was considered one of the best meat producers, and was exported around Europe and to North America. Today the Mechelse Koekoek is rare outside of Belgium.
