Found Sumatra chicks...now what?

[EllyMae]

This will be my first experience with ornamental type chickens. Is there anything I need to do different as far as housing, feeding, etc with Sumatras? I currently have barred rock, RIR, but I don't have a clue about the Sumatras.
Any Sumatra owners out there with words of wisdom for this newbie?

 

[EllyMae]

nobody with sumatra info?

 

[Hangin Wit My Peeps]

I hatched out a bunch but for someone else. I stay away from Sumatra's...they are pretty flighty and not to nice to others chickens.

 

[DTchickens]

sumatras are flighty. But once you get them calm. Amazing.. from what i hear. probably the nicest around. if raised with other birds. absolutely no problem.. as all Game type of game chicks. try http://groups.msn.com/AmericanSumatraAssociation/_whatsnew.msnw thats where i got a lot of my info.

 

[EllyMae]

Thanks. The main thing I was concerned about was housing. I have read that they are good flyers so I probably wouldn't be able to let them free range like I do my BR's and RIR.

 

[DTchickens]

i've heard you can free range them. but not sure. they are good fliers i hear (the reason i say "i hear". is because i own 0 for now). the pen space i heard. is 4X4X8. and one other. the one someone told me about and i plan to use myself. is 8X10 X8-10. im thinking of building my pens 8 wide. 10 long. 8 tall. and heard they can fit about 5 hens and one rooster in each of these pens.

 

[EllyMae]

That sounds like the dimensions on one of my dog kennels( the chain link kind). ONe of my friends modified one of those for her chickens. She raises Black Giants and Brown Leghorns. I bet I could convert one of those chain link kennels to allow a run with a cover.