Sultans I want to know everything

[ShortCircuitRanch2332]

I went to buy my goslings yesterday and they Had some roosters in the back (needing an araucana) I went back to see what they had and (never seeing a sultan) they had a white roo with a large crest and a beard I ask what is that and the guy says a silkie (having had silkies before) I think no that's not a silkie and I say are you sure and he goes yep and I go ok how much and he goes 8 dollars SOLD!! so I bring him home I search the internet not find anything really then I'm looking through the Murray Mcmurray catalog and I see a pic of a Sultan (its a drawing but still) and I'm like hmm so I read it and what stands out is 5 TOES so I walk out get him and count 1 2 3 4........sure enough 5 so I type in a sultan on google and THATS HIM so now I want to know about this breed are they hard to take care of? can they be with other birds? and was he worth 8 dollars? more? less? lol

 

[Alexis]

We LOVED our Sultan! A couple years ago we had a pullet that was our favorite chicken of all time. The kids loved her, my young nephews (age 3 and 5) hauled her around wherever they went, and we were so sad when a predator got to her in our field one day. Our sultan girl was not hard to take care of at all. We did have some issues with the other birds picking out her toe feathers, and causing bleeding, but that meant she got spa treatments from time to time to clean up her feet and get her healed up quickly. She wasn't the best bird to have in a flock of large layers, because sultans naturally fall to the bottom of the pecking order due to their small size and their quiet personalities. We had a bantam the first time around, and now my 8 yr old son is raising a standard sized pair because he loved our first one so much. They fit in just fine with our bantam flock. (But I've been keeping them away from the full grown layer flock for now just to be safe).

I'd buy one for $8.00 without feeling like I spent too much - they aren't really easy to come by.

Here's a pic of our young one from the other day...

 

[ShortCircuitRanch2332]

Thats great to know he is very quiet hes a lil scared of me and he has a thing with things in his face he will peck my hand if I put it in his face other than that I can carry him around all day and he just sits there I figured they were rare (Mcmurray's catalog said they were rare as-well) but he is just so cool lol deff a new favorite

 

[Alexis]

I have to wonder what it's like to live with a head full of feathers blocking your vision most of your life. If something just showed up right in my face unexpectedly, I'd probably peck at it too. haha! I like sultans because you can sneak up on them from behind without being seen, and pick them up without a fuss. But then of course they are more prone to getting picked off by aerial attacks too, just keep an eye on him whenever he's exposed out in the open. That bright white plumage seems to appear to be a surrender flag to falcons and hawks.

 

[ShortCircuitRanch2332]

Quote:
HAHA never though of it that way id prolly do the same LOL
and being able to sneak up on them is good hes in quarantine for a month but I will be sure to watch close
OHH I went back today to get some polish and i look into the brooder and I ask the lady what is that little white chick with a crest on its head? and she says its a crested so I reach in pick it up AND ITS A BABY SULTAN 5 toes feathered feet and a crest I WAS ECSTATIC!! 2 rare birds in 3 day

 

[Alexis]

Woohoo! You're gonna have yourself a collection if you're not careful

 

[ShortCircuitRanch2332]

Quote:
I am LONG past a collection buff orps, RIRs, arucanas, partridge rocks, barred rocks, sultans, sexlinks red&black, white leghorns, Old English Game, Delaware jersey giants, Brahmas assorted polish, geese, ducks, that chicken match is a killer lol