Sumatra Thread!

I received my order of sumatras and another breed last month. I'm just now able to tell the difference between the two breeds. I ended up with 5 pullet Sumatra's I believe. Do the combs come up as fast on this breed as they do the WFBS Bantams? Generally my cockerels get a comb with in a month after being hatched. I just wanted to know if this breed is similar to the WFBS in how quickly they grow. I'd hate to get rid of some and one end up being a roo!
 

Their data collection methods are less than scientific. They rely on voluntary self reporting. There cold be 100 breeders that don't respond to their surveys. They state that they pollAPA members but I've been a member for quite some time & have never received one of their surveys. Since you can order Sumatras in large numbers from most hatcheries how critical can their situation be?

ETA: before anyone answers note that the Livestock Conservancy doesn't list well-brd Sumatras as being critical, the list Sumatras in general.
 
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Their data collection methods are less than scientific. They rely on voluntary self reporting. There cold be 100 breeders that don't respond to their surveys. They state that they pollAPA members but I've been a member for quite some time & have never received one of their surveys. Since you can order Sumatras in large numbers from most hatcheries how critical can their situation be?

ETA: before anyone answers note that the Livestock Conservancy doesn't list well-brd Sumatras as being critical, the list Sumatras in general.
Yeah, I would guess poultry is much harder to track since they are not registered. I had asked someone and they mentioned to check this site. If poultry was registered like other critters then it would be more reliable, but how crazy would that be to try and do that since its not like most livestock where you get one or a few offspring a year or cull half of the off spring off in a matter of weeks or months.
 
Their data collection methods are less than scientific. They rely on voluntary self reporting. There cold be 100 breeders that don't respond to their surveys. They state that they pollAPA members but I've been a member for quite some time & have never received one of their surveys. Since you can order Sumatras in large numbers from most hatcheries how critical can their situation be?

ETA: before anyone answers note that the Livestock Conservancy doesn't list well-brd Sumatras as being critical, the list Sumatras in general.
just found this on their site too.
Parameters of Poultry Breeds on the Conservation Priority List

Poultry breeds on the Conservation Priority List generally conform to certain genetic and numerical parameters.
  1. The breed is from one of the four traditional U.S. poultry species (chickens, ducks, geese, and turkeys).
  2. A bantam breed may be listed if there is no large fowl counterpart.
  3. The breed census satisfies numerical guidelines:
    • Critical: Fewer than 500 breeding birds in the United States, with five or fewer primary breeding flocks (50 birds or more), and estimated global population less than 1,000.
    • Threatened: Fewer than 1,000 breeding birds in the United States, with seven or fewer primary breeding flocks, and estimated global population less than 5,000.
    • Watch: Fewer than 5,000 breeding birds in the United States, with ten or fewer primary breeding flocks, and estimated global population less than 10,000. Also included are breeds with genetic or numerical concerns or limited geographic distribution.
    • Recovering: Breeds that were once listed in another category and have exceeded Watch category numbers but are still in need of monitoring.
    • Study: Breeds that are of interest but either lack definition or lack genetic or historical documentation.
  4. The breed is a true genetic breed (when mated together, it reproduces the breed type.)
  5. The breed has had an established and continuously breeding population in North America since 1925. Or, if imported or developed since 1925,
    • The foundation stock is no longer available.
    • Must meet numeric guidelines for inclusion.
    • Must have at least five breeders in different locations in the United States.
    • The global population is threatened and the United States population is making a contribution to conservation of the breed.
Breeds not meeting all these criteria may be placed in the "Study" category and monitored.

So that makes more sense, if they are only counting flocks with 50 or more breeding birds, how many of us really fit that description? I have quite a large flock and in the summer have over 100 with chicks and juvenilles but I don't keep 50 breeding birds so it's probably only the hatcheries that get counted and most of the smaller hatchies might not have more than 50 breeding birds.

I agree with you NYReds, you can find them and get them if you want them, but we don't meet their criteria for their list so I guess by their standards they set they are critical.
 
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just found this on their site too.
Parameters of Poultry Breeds on the Conservation Priority List

Poultry breeds on the Conservation Priority List generally conform to certain genetic and numerical parameters.
  1. The breed is from one of the four traditional U.S. poultry species (chickens, ducks, geese, and turkeys).
  2. A bantam breed may be listed if there is no large fowl counterpart.
  3. The breed census satisfies numerical guidelines:
    • Critical: Fewer than 500 breeding birds in the United States, with five or fewer primary breeding flocks (50 birds or more), and estimated global population less than 1,000.
    • Threatened: Fewer than 1,000 breeding birds in the United States, with seven or fewer primary breeding flocks, and estimated global population less than 5,000.
    • Watch: Fewer than 5,000 breeding birds in the United States, with ten or fewer primary breeding flocks, and estimated global population less than 10,000. Also included are breeds with genetic or numerical concerns or limited geographic distribution.
    • Recovering: Breeds that were once listed in another category and have exceeded Watch category numbers but are still in need of monitoring.
    • Study: Breeds that are of interest but either lack definition or lack genetic or historical documentation.
  4. The breed is a true genetic breed (when mated together, it reproduces the breed type.)
  5. The breed has had an established and continuously breeding population in North America since 1925. Or, if imported or developed since 1925,
    • The foundation stock is no longer available.
    • Must meet numeric guidelines for inclusion.
    • Must have at least five breeders in different locations in the United States.
    • The global population is threatened and the United States population is making a contribution to conservation of the breed.
Breeds not meeting all these criteria may be placed in the "Study" category and monitored.

So that makes more sense, if they are only counting flocks with 50 or more breeding birds, how many of us really fit that description? I have quite a large flock and in the summer have over 100 with chicks and juvenilles but I don't keep 50 breeding birds so it's probably only the hatcheries that get counted and most of the smaller hatchies might not have more than 50 breeding birds.

I agree with you NYReds, you can find them and get them if you want them, but we don't meet their criteria for their list so I guess by their standards they set they are critical.

All you really need to know about how "reliable" they are is they list Araucana and Ameraucana together with the note, they may be sold interchangeably.

It's interesting how breeds like the Sumatra and Lakenvelder are listed as-is, but Rhode Island Red and Leghorn specify non-industrial which to me says that they aren't counting hatchery stock for the Leghorn and Rhode Island Red but are for the others as NYREDS pointed out. You can find good Sumatras easily, where does one find a good Lakenvelder?

The entire group is kind of a crock, I guess they did decent work with the Buckeye though which is cool.
 

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