Sumatra Thread!

[flyingmonkeypoop]

Yes, he is a darker dun. I just looked at the pics again and noticed how dark he looks. In person, his breast is the same color as the hen. I will work on getting better pics of them, the one hen is flighty so doesn't photograph well. And I need pics of the bantams too, one of the cockerels got into a fight with a rooster in the pen next to him so he wasn't looking too pretty when I was taking pictures.

 

[jeremy]

Yes, he is a darker dun. I just looked at the pics again and noticed how dark he looks. In person, his breast is the same color as the hen. I will work on getting better pics of them, the one hen is flighty so doesn't photograph well. And I need pics of the bantams too, one of the cockerels got into a fight with a rooster in the pen next to him so he wasn't looking too pretty when I was taking pictures.

Your pictures were great! It makes me that much more anxious and excited about getting eggs!

 

[Soli]

The friend request didn't show up at first until I went looking for it, lol. We should have eggs in about a month or so and hopefully all three hens will be laying before too long. One of the black hens in the picture has a nice smooth sweep of the tail which is what I look for in the sumatra hens. She is the one that vanished and was broody so I really hope to get some dun chicks from her this year too.
Soli, do you have any sumatra hens? I was looking at your pictures and just saw the rooster.

Yes, but only three. Two should lay this spring and are in with the pictured rooster. The other is a fall hatch, so she'll probably be awhile still.

Here are the two - they came with the pictured rooster on my facebook profile as a trio:

 

[jeremy]

I candled the first egg from my Platinum pen last night and it showed major signs of development, lots of veins!!!

 

[vetgirl00us]

Please put me on your list for eggs. I am learning alot about sumatra by read ing all your info "flyingmonkeypoop" and I have a quad of khaki sumatra. My male is developing a nice tail and multiple spurs. Looks like he will have more than two per leg, maybe three. I was talking to a man at a show at Dalton Ga yesterday with BBS and white sumatra and he was disgusted at the sumatra that are winning right now. He said the same, think huge birds, no wild type. I agree with you. The streamlined wild look is the best. I look forward to hearing from you.

Nice pics everyone. Loves those crosses on Gallo's post.

 

[Boggy Bottom Bantams]

That's very true vetgirl00us

Judges have totally gotten away from what a sumatra should be, and honestly I think they read the standard very much any more, just go off what people like. It's not right for the breed or those interested in "getting in to' the breed. They should be shown and represented correctly. Nice long legs, and wild type, not a big fat black bird with a little bit of a tail... Toni-Marie and others have been working on them about all that and she tells me many are getting better at it. So with hopes, they'll get back to judging correctly again soon.... I hope so... I'm just like the man you spoke too, getting kinda sick of seeing it.
Good luck with your new venture, the khakis are a very nice color. I have about 1 more year to go on my dun bantams, then they'll be making khakis and platinums for me...

By the way, the guy with the whites, was he local or out of state?? Just curious, been looking for some good white for a while now

 

[flyingmonkeypoop]

The whites that he had, were they yellow legged/red faced or different? Friends and I always talk about whites and how it should be possible to get dark legs and dark face on a white bird with yellow based skin if not just the dark legs (look at white Jersey giants with yellow based dark legs).

If I can find someones culls, I would almost be tempted to bring in some modern game bantam to the sumatra bantams. It would bring in a longer neck and legs and also closer feathering. It would be a project that would take a few years to get back to being like a sumatra but it could be worth it in the long run as a side project. I will probably just keep breeding from what I have but who knows, I might find just the right modern cull with a decent tail to work with...

 

[vetgirl00us]

You know, I am not sure about the whites because we were talking over the blacks and blues. White birds are not my strong point so I really didn't pay much attention. I have his name and number around here somewhere I can't remember if he was GA based or one of the surrounding states.

 

[Boggy Bottom Bantams]

I got ya, If you happen by it, shoot it to me if you dont mind. like FMP was saying, most of the time they arent right face and leg color wise, but also I dont see why it couldnt be fixed. Been wanting to work with some for a while now, love a good bird project...need 1 more like a hole in the head, but that is one I've been wanting to work on. My white phoenix have super dark blue legs, so I dont see why witha fibro breed like sumatras, that you couldnt make them more " to type" with a little dedication

 

[vetgirl00us]

Will do.

I see you have longcrowers listed in your sig. What kind and do they really crow long? I got really gypped on some "longcrower" eggs last year. Ended up with fayoumis lol. Taught me a lesson.