Sultan???

[MonkeyZero]

Hi

My friend is getting 25 assorted chickens, so she is getting me 3 sultans. How are they tempered? They are bantams. How do you tell gender? I think McCurray has them at day old. What about vent sexing? Can it be done since they will be 2 days old once they get here(I think)(unless they lose them).

 

[Alexis]

I'd also like to know about the temperament. I have one sultan - she's six weeks old now and the SWEETEST chick. She is taking longer to "wean" off the heat lamp, because she is much smaller than all my other chicks, feathered later and was really fragile when she arrived.

I didn't know the gender ahead of time because they were straight run only.

 

[SkyRoo]

hello we have a sultan hen. *Silly Sally*
I dont know if I can help much...we just recently got Silly Sally about two months ago. share what I know.

mmm well sexing I dont know except when they mature very obvious who is who...the roos and hens head crests are much like polish. hen being very rounded and full Roo is thin feathering and visible comb.

Our Silly Sally came from McMurry Hatchery. We did not personally raise her up a friend gave her to us as a young pullet. *we are ever so blessed to have her*

Sally is a sweetie. VERY GENTLE! great pet chicken for our daughter!

she cant free-range with the rest of the flock too well. *lack of confidence and vision impairment from the large head crest....and I personally think just who she is* she does get spooked easily just like the polish breeds. if she knows you are there its not problem. she seems to like human company more than her fellow chickens.

she is at the bottom of the pecking order. I think most Sultans get picked on. I have honestly never seen Sally nip charge or steal food from any chicken in our group. very mellow and sweet.

she took a long time to start laying. Our Sally is a bit over a year old now and just starting to get eggs right shape and decent size. she is doing about 3 a week at the moment.
her first eggs were the size of a small quail egg and no yoke. now they are perfectly normal little eggs.

*I asssume they are just a slower maturing breed...maybe why she having probs with heat lamp* Our Sally seems alright with northern winter temps she lives in an insulated coop with heat lamp on if it goes down in the 20's at night. not a problem with her during the cold weather so far.

Sally is our favorite!

hope that helps a little. I am sure someone can give you much more experience with this breed...as we are still learning much too.

here is photo of what our McMurry Sultan grew up to look like. at least give ya some idea...*we only recently acquired Sally so I have no chick photos and her plumage is still ragged until she molts...she was housed with a rough bunch of chickens* she is a very nice little hen.

 

[SkyRoo]

Alexis if its possiable I would love to see a photo of your 6wk sultan?

 

[Alexis]

Oh! I'd love to get one of her too! That gives me something to shoot for today.

All along we've been calling it a "he", but I think it's a "she". I loved your pics of Sally! I do have one pic of our little "Skittles", as a 2 day old on my personal page: !Chicks! (at the bottom). I wasn't sure if she was going to live, so I took a special pic of her.

I'll post a pic later.

 

[Alexis]

Here's Skittles at ... oops, SEVEN weeks!
She's the LEAST camera friendly - so this is as good as it gets today.

 

[MonkeyZero]

Wish I could get some, but they get dirty eaisly(the white and dirt... I am getting d Uccles instead. I want a SULTAN though

 

[SkyRoo]

oh my goodness skittles is lovely! I did not except such mature. very lovely! gosh

oh yeah I guess white can be tough to keep clean though Sally groom herself up pretty well and I dont let her out if its muddy...she stays in the covered run with wood chips floor litter.

on a side note I have seen a few sites that do breed a black variety of Sultans. *very pretty and nice*
but I dont think that variety is recognized yet.

I have D'Uccles and some baby peeps in the house still. They are great!!! a bit vocal but every outgoing. great personality we have roo D'uccle porcelain...he is a sweetie. *never any sort of human aggression* crows a lot though.

our one D'Uccle hen Dora lays a very nice size egg compared to her tiny body. she follows ya around the yard like a dog...talking/chattering waiting for yummies. very social. not as mellow as a Sultan thats for sure.
I think they are a great breed.

 

[Cara]

Hen Sultans are generally nice if a bit flighty. Males on the other hand are typically not, to the point that I have been breeding them for temperament and then working on looks.

 

[SkyRoo]

wow....thank you for sharing that! gesh. had no idea about the roos.

do you know about the black Sultans?