Black Sumatras Owners!!

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Yeah sounds fair, but I think I'll go 25 dollars a bird, 2 week starter birds, if I get good at sexing young birds, keep pullets until 5-7 weeks and sell for 50 dollars.
On 5-7 week pullets if you buy 3 you get 15 dollars off.
On the straight run chicks if you buy 5 you get 25 dollars off (buy 4 get one free is how I will advertise, sounds way better).
 
I was suggesting price if they were just hatchery grade. If yours turn out to be show grade, and very possibly may be, then the higher price is justified and achievable.
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Hi all,

Jumping in this thread because I'm also interested in buying some Black Sumatras and breeding for breed preservation. While I have more questions than answers on the breed, I have learned a little I think can contribute here.

To answer some questions about show quality Sumatras, I have read in my brief research that purple shine in the black feathers will disqualify a bird. The judges need to see green shimmer in the black feathers.
Also, the breed standard requires something called a full throat, which gives the head a more circular shape instead of a long-beaked profile. And then there needs to be a cluster of exactly three spurs on each leg of the Roo.

I'm hoping to obtain some good stock from McMurray hatchery to start with. I don't believe there is anyone in the South-Eastern Pennsylvania area that keeps such birds that I could get verified bloodlines from, but those at McMurray feature the black skin, whereas, I have seen some hatcheries advertising "Sumatras" with pale faces and the occasional discolored feather.

Also, having a lower selling price for your birds may encourage others to buy and preserve the breed. Whereas, having a higher price will get you only buyers more serious about raising a rarer breed for show. I would say, take the price of a common laying hen and raise that to a price you would feel comfortable buying an exotic bird for, including the time/effort/feed you put into them.

Very nice someone gave you the birds! I would consider being given pure-bred chickens a very fine and considerate gift, myself. :D

Best of luck to you in raising your Sumatras!
Laurisa
 
cavemanrich said:
I was suggesting price if they were just hatchery grade. If yours turn out to be show grade, and very possibly may be, then the higher price is justified and achievable.
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Could you please explain how hatchery grade is different from what you call show grade? Wouldn't some hatcheries have a good bloodline of breeding stock that they are selling? In order to get a show quality bird would I have to buy from a "breeder"??
Thanks in Advance
 
Then I Will said:
Quote: Going to a breeder would be a shortcut to getting birds that approach the SOP. (standard of perfection) These are the show quality that bring in HIGH$$$. Also it should be noted that a pair of Show Quality birds do not automatically produce ALL perfect of-springs. There will be some great birds and some just average and not at SOP. Hatcheries breed what they can , so their quality will be less than a select breeder. You can become a breeder yourself, and breed , and select the ones to further your line. This may take quite some time and research to achieve your desired result. That is how breeders do it and it is a lot of work. I can direct you to some threads that dealt with this subject. Or search them out yourself here on BYC.
WISHING YOU BEST.
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Hello all,

I have had the Sumatras for some time now, and I have been taking best of care I can of them. I recently took them to a show, (December 17th, 2016) and showed the pair I was given, not really expecting much. They were entered into the "All Other Standard Breed Class" and came out Reserve Grand Champion of the Standard Breed Class. Which is all chickens, excluding Bantams. I was really in awe, yet very proud of my ALMOST champions.

My advice to you, especially if you are getting Hatchery stock, is to feed them a high protein feed, this will make their poop stink, which is more blessing than bane. Their poop giving off an amonia smell means that their bodys have plenty of protein, more than it can deal with, which will be changed to ammonia. Protein stimulates feather development as well as feather maintenance. I feed my chickens a 18-22% Protien feed from Southern States, either Southern States Super Breeder (18%) or Southern States Specialty Flock (22%). I prefer the 22% one ( I say that because I honestly don't know which one is which percentage), but either feed is perfect for Sumatra feather development.

As far as your genetics, a SOP Sumatra will have little to no reddish coloring in the comb and wattles, although a little is OK. My reccomendation is to take the hens, and pick out you best ones from the hatchery, sell the others if you aren't attached to them (trust me I feel you there) and get you a new, decent rooster. The new rooster will replensh the bloodlines that the hatchery (may have) ruined through inbreeding. Use the eggs from your flock to hatch chicks, which can be reintroduced into your flock, these will be the roosters daughters which is OK to inbreed 1-2 generations. (If you can breed granddaughters to the father, skipping a generation creates extra genetic diversity) And if you continue to grow you flock, freshen up with a new rooster.

I wish the best of luck to you, and I hope my information can help. I live in the Peidmont region of NC, and the people at the show said they hadn't seen Sumatras in 40 years at shows, and really encouraged me to enter the birds in the State fair, and I recommend entering your birds in as many shows as possible, you can learn A LOT of information from locals at shows, and even get some great offers for your birds! I sold a rooster my hens had hatched for 75 dollars after the person saw the father!!
 
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Thank you both, Cavemanrich and Blueberrysilky,
Very helpful. So glad your birds placed well Blueberrysilky!
I have never shown before but I am very interested in showing Sumatras.

I'm not new to breeding chickens, but I raised Buff Orphingtons prior and they are very easy birds and I had a really really awesome Roo. I had a lot of guys snatching up the Roos I would post for sale and I feel at the time I really didn't know quite what caliber I had there.

I found this SOP guide which I will link here for anyone else looking for what a judge might require of a show Sumatra.

http://www.longtail-fowl.com/sumatra-2.html

I am on the lookout for any breeders nearby to furnish a good bloodline or two. Wait...I am literally stalking BYC for someone willing to sell a good Sumatra! :D
 

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