Sumatra Thread!

[TattooedChicks]

Mine are at 5 months, the boys are looking great (from Meyers stock) but I have three. I was out in the yard distracted on the cell phone and was struck from behind by one of the boys(first time occurance and we are at 60 degrees F). The single spurs are just coming in now. I figured it was best to turn and chase him for behavioral training so I just turned around and ran him off showing who is the alpha and who runs away. I really want to keep all three of my roos as we have plenty of hawks here, but still if I get hit from behind again that boy is going to get culled out of the flock. So plan to add some Ideal pullet stock to the flock in late spring. I am just hoping I get to keep all three of my roos. Congrats on getting your first egg!

Oh dear, good luck with those boys. That’s never a fun situation to be in. None of the young Bantam males I dealt with this year ever turned on me, though most were under 3 or 4 months when I rehomed them. Left myself two very mellow Japanese males for chicks and entertainment who at 7 months are still remaining respectful. Is it freezer camp for the bad boy or another flock perhaps?

 

[AllenK RGV]

Oh dear, good luck with those boys. That’s never a fun situation to be in. None of the young Bantam males I dealt with this year ever turned on me, though most were under 3 or 4 months when I rehomed them. Left myself two very mellow Japanese males for chicks and entertainment who at 7 months are still remaining respectful. Is it freezer camp for the bad boy or another flock perhaps?

Thanks! I'm just going to wait and see at 5 months and only small nubby spurs he isn't much of a threat yet.
When I chased him around he respected my dominant chicken space quite well so I'm hoping this was a one off! When those hormones come in we will see. Being 99% vegetarian I'm not going to freezer camp him. I noticed my neighbor 2 doors down uses a leg lasso looking thing on some of his flock I might ask him to teach me that technique(Mexico/Philipine/Indonesia styles). I see that used quite often on a FB group I follow for Longtails in those locations.

 

[TattooedChicks]

Thanks! I'm just going to wait and see at 5 months and only small nubby spurs he isn't much of a threat yet.
When I chased him around he respected my dominant chicken space quite well so I'm hoping this was a one off! When those hormones come in we will see. Being 99% vegetarian I'm not going to freezer camp him. I noticed my neighbor 2 doors down uses a leg lasso looking thing on some of his flock I might ask him to teach me that technique(Mexico/Philipine/Indonesia styles). I see that used quite often on a FB group I follow for Longtails in those locations.

Sounds like a good plan, seems to work very well for those in the show bird world in Asian countries where they have dozens of males to maintain, if we are both referring to the leg leash mounted to some basic housing thing, like how they pen up sled dogs and such.

 

[AllenK RGV]

Sounds like a good plan, seems to work very well for those in the show bird world in Asian countries where they have dozens of males to maintain, if we are both referring to the leg leash mounted to some basic housing thing, like how they pen up sled dogs and such.

Might even be a good idea too just in case the girls are getting abused to much when mating season gets here vs using hen saddles. And yep were talking the same thing lasso=leash.

 

[TattooedChicks]

Might even be a good idea too just in case the girls are getting abused to much when mating season gets here vs using hen saddles. And yep were talking the same thing lasso=leash.

Definitely would make it easier to control some of the breeding, tied up roosters would be at the whim of the hens and not the other way around. Any thoughts about this method and potential predators?

 

[AllenK RGV]

Definitely would make it easier to control some of the breeding, tied up roosters would be at the whim of the hens and not the other way around. Any thoughts about this method and potential predators?

Yes my only potential predators are hawks, my wife and I were sitting on the porch in our rocking chairs watching the chicken TV. We had a hawk attempt less than an hour ago. The dogs did their thing, but we were thinking just provide good cover and food should be adequate.

 

[AllenK RGV]

Definitely would make it easier to control some of the breeding, tied up roosters would be at the whim of the hens and not the other way around. Any thoughts about this method and potential predators?

I was thinking of putting them under the deck/carport but my wife saw a hawk streak under the carport today. The correct search term for those restraints are " tie out gamefowl or rooster", regardless I am going to see if they are stocked here at the local feed store. I am pretty sure they are or easily ordered as it is common practice in this region of Texas.

But now I'm thinking they need restrained to the base of my evergreen bushes vs to the numerous carport posts to not worry about the raptors.

If I haven't said this 100 times yet, man these guys are so good at keeping the hawks missing. I don't want to take away their free ranging but during the spring I have hardly any hawks to worry about vs winter should they need restrained to prevent injury to my gals. I have changed tactics with the aggressive one and decided dominate hold downs, the first went as planned and changed his behavior for 8 hours. The second one has held for 2-3 days now but it was a miss and I got 8-10 feathers from his neck hackles. He was not pleased at all loosing feathers(had much to say about it!) and that has been more effective.

 

[AllenK RGV]

Unrelated to Sumatra, we are so happy. We have attracted a breeding pair of Green Jays to our property using 5 grain scratch in a bird feeder. This has been a goal for us since we moved into this area they show up just after sunrise and then every 3-4 hours until sunset. They have such a distinctive call when they arrive so you always know when to look out the window to the feeder.

I am nearly 50 years old and prior to this year had only seen these guys in a Zoo. Now fingers crossed we can get some Painted Buntings as there is Millet in the scratch.

http://www.audubon.org/field-guide/bird/green-jay

 

[Browning2013]

Any of you know where to get some fair priced blue sumatra hatching eggs? I don't have any interest in show quality. I just love the breed. I lost my black sumatra rooster to a fox last Spring. Right now I just have a few of his mixed offspring with include barred rock, leghorn and columbian wyandotte. I'm a moderator over on the FB group but rarely see posts about them.

 

[AllenK RGV]

Any of you know where to get some fair priced blue sumatra hatching eggs? I don't have any interest in show quality. I just love the breed. I lost my black sumatra rooster to a fox last Spring. Right now I just have a few of his mixed offspring with include barred rock, leghorn and columbian wyandotte. I'm a moderator over on the FB group but rarely see posts about them.

A forum search for "Sumatra Eggs" should get you where you want to go. I would not recommend MPC for roos as they ship their chicks from Meyers in Polk, OH(at least in my case). They were all rather heat intolerant, 5/5 were of a foul disposition, and all had red wattles 1 had a red comb. I realize you are in Ohio as well so that might not be an issue for you.