Sumatra Thread!

[Peep-Chicken]

Thank you both!

 

[brothfeder]

I bought a flock of 11 juveniles last summer. Only seven made it, there was a respiratory illness that swept through the flock. I have 4 females and 3 roos. Once I cull one of the roos, I plan to breed what I have all summer - make as many a I can - while also acquiring an additional line or two. I don't care much for showing them (poultry shows = disease), but I'm hoping to do some justice to this unique heritage breed.

On this matter, does anyone have any useful resources/info on breeding sumatras? Genetics? Standards to adhere to? I see a lot of people crossing them with other birds, but I'm trying to keep their blood pure if possible.

 

[Kinmera]

I bought a flock of 11 juveniles last summer. Only seven made it, there was a respiratory illness that swept through the flock. I have 4 females and 3 roos. Once I cull one of the roos, I plan to breed what I have all summer - make as many a I can - while also acquiring an additional line or two. I don't care much for showing them (poultry shows = disease), but I'm hoping to do some justice to this unique heritage breed.

On this matter, does anyone have any useful resources/info on breeding sumatras? Genetics? Standards to adhere to? I see a lot of people crossing them with other birds, but I'm trying to keep their blood pure if possible.

Broth, the best resource out there is the standard of perfection.

I think poultry shows are one of the last places you would get disease. Breeders only show their best. Anything is possible though.

 

[ramirezframing]

Welcome to the thread.

If you don't want to show you can breed however you want. If you want to show you can still breed however you want, you just might not do well. If you want to do well at a show you should breed to the SOP. If you want birds that are correct towards the APA, whether you show or not, you need an SOP book.

On the whole disease thing, I have a friend that wouldn't show due to this same feeling. Even through she now has great stock and does all the testing to be able to show, she won't show because she had lost her old egg laying flock from a disease that MOTHER NATURE brought into her free ranging flock. Guess what, MOTHER NATURE has now blessed her new show stock that is also a free range flock. I can understand not wanting to show for fear of disease, but please understand, it can come in on the wind, wild life, etc.

I have bred towards the SOP without showing. My kids have now thrown us into the show world this year. I must admit, going to a few shows and seeing a true show bird compared to the other birds I have seen over my life was quite an eye opener. I would recommend going to a show or two just to see the birds, don't even take your birds. I did this and talked with some of the people that were showing birds, most were nice and very willing to talk chicken. Heck with some all I had to do was look at their birds for a few seconds and they were coming over to talk. Even if a person has no intention of showing, one can still learn a lot from ones who do show.

Good luck with your birds.

 

[brothfeder]

Broth, the best resource out there is the standard of perfection.

I think poultry shows are one of the last places you would get disease. Breeders only show their best. Anything is possible though.

I just bought I used copy of the SOP off amazon, definitely a must for me. Thanks.

I'm not saying I would NEVER go to a show, but theres a lot of poultry diseases that stay hidden between flare ups. It could be a very costly mistake. However as ramirez is saying, you meet a lot of experts in your area and its a great networking tool. I'm real tempted to go to one.

Welcome to the thread.

If you don't want to show you can breed however you want. If you want to show you can still breed however you want, you just might not do well. If you want to do well at a show you should breed to the SOP. If you want birds that are correct towards the APA, whether you show or not, you need an SOP book.

On the whole disease thing, I have a friend that wouldn't show due to this same feeling. Even through she now has great stock and does all the testing to be able to show, she won't show because she had lost her old egg laying flock from a disease that MOTHER NATURE brought into her free ranging flock. Guess what, MOTHER NATURE has now blessed her new show stock that is also a free range flock. I can understand not wanting to show for fear of disease, but please understand, it can come in on the wind, wild life, etc.

I have bred towards the SOP without showing. My kids have now thrown us into the show world this year. I must admit, going to a few shows and seeing a true show bird compared to the other birds I have seen over my life was quite an eye opener. I would recommend going to a show or two just to see the birds, don't even take your birds. I did this and talked with some of the people that were showing birds, most were nice and very willing to talk chicken. Heck with some all I had to do was look at their birds for a few seconds and they were coming over to talk. Even if a person has no intention of showing, one can still learn a lot from ones who do show.

Good luck with your birds.

Thanks for the warm welcome! Very kind.

I love these birds and I want to breed the Sumatra to the SOP because thats what I thats feel people buy Sumatras for. They want that perfect looking rooster with a 4 foot tail. And I don't blame them, I love that look. Other breeds I plan to offer for sale may be more for utility purposes are to appeal to the hobby farmers/homesteaders.In that case SOP may be less important (but should never be ignored).

 

[sumatrass]

my 7 month old sumatra

 

[troyer]

my 7 month old sumatra

I like him a lot! I don't know how well he would do in the show world, but he looks very nice! He looks more like the old style Sumatra did back in the early 1900's. How old is he and how much does he weigh? His tail appears to be a bit lower than the old style, but I really like his body type. From the start of his tail and forward he looks almost identical.

 

[Varglet]

 

[sumatrass]

Thats awesome thanks troyer! he is 7 months old and I dont know the weight yet but he is not that heavy, I will weigh him some time this week I have to get a scale.

 

[dsfrango]

Anyone here going to be at the Eastern States Expo for the Poultry Congress Show in Springfield, MA???