Sumatra Thread!

[Infnityhrt]

I'd have to disagree. If I were judging a class with that bird in it she wouldn't fare well if there was competition. Her tail should be spread more; not as much as a Leghorn but more than it is. Before you correct me I actually am a Judge.

I'd have to disagree. If I were judging a class with that bird in it she wouldn't fare well if there was competition. Her tail should be spread more; not as much as a Leghorn but more than it is. Before you correct me I actually am a Judge.

Well I am not really correcting anybody, I am going on my opinion, based on how the standard is written. Thats why I said that they should rewrite it, if that is what you judges are looking for, the picture of Champion Sumatras tail is well spread, if you were to lift it up to a 45 degree angle then it would be the same as a Leghorn, its just because it is carried at 15 degrees. Here is an example of her bird and a leghorn. To me, looks well spread. so why do we follow a standard and pay money for it as breeders, when that is not what the judges are looking for then? I just want to understand, the logic of it all.

 

[ramirezframing]

That hen dose not fan out her tail that much when she is at the show she gets stress out when she is in the cage she is one of the birds I got from Tom Kernan.. so I think she is a good bird.

I was just trying to show not a perfect example but one that would show a full tail. No chicken will ever be perfect.

How did she do at the show for you?

 

[championsumatra]

she did well. but she started to molting during the show so she won a 2 place.

 

[championsumatra]

good news I candled all my phonix and sumatra eggs last night and all where alive only one had died. I will candle them one more time on the 18th day. we will see how many hatch out.

 

[Infnityhrt]

Went out and tried to get some pics of some of the Sumatras, and of course between having an old camera, where you take a pic but then it waits to actually take the pic and by then the bird has moved... and the birds got all excited and have their tails all fanned.. LOL can't win, oh well here are some I got.of the dun roo and 3 of the girls that are off to a show this weekend



Here is the Dunn rooster, of course he kept turning away




See they fan their tails when they are excited, but they don't always have them like this when and the hens have different types. I do like the hen in the front,


then I have one that I think is really what they standard says, then I have one I call my cow sumatra, she is heavy and wide, she doesn't cooperate at all and is standing behind this one.




blurry, but I think my cow hen, shorter legs and tail too spread.




Then this is kind of showing the difference, this is what I feel the standard calls for a 4lb hen, with medium length legs and a tail that is broad, but not well spread. of course she kept hiding behind the other hens, and her tail is a little higher because she was excited.

 

[championsumatra]

I read the standard and it still dose not say that the tail should be less fuller than a leghorns tails. I think it would say it if it did. and looking at that leghorns tail you posted is not as full as the lehorns I have seen.

 

[Infnityhrt]

I read the standard and it still dose not say that the tail should be less fuller than a leghorns tails. I think it would say it if it did. and looking at that leghorns tail you posted is not as full as the lehorns I have seen.

Yeah i know the leghorns wasn't as well spread as it should be because all the pics I could find they had pinched tails, but also on the standard it doesn't say well spread for the Sumatras, but it does on the leghorns, so I interpret it to mean that they should not be like the leghorns, or it would say well spread in the Sumatras, funny though how I found more pics of pinched tails in the leghorn than I do in the Sumatras, I like the tail when they are fanned a little but not spread out, unless they are excited, because most chickens do get all stiffened up and their tails get stiff as well, but just hangin out relaxed, I like them like 4-H girls, she said she was relaxed.
When I breed my Sumatras, I can take any of them and cross them so two heavy's together, two light weights, a light with a heavy and I get all three types no matter what I cross, I think most breeds do that, that's why people have to cull, but it is all what you decide to cull for. When we use to breed wyandotte bantams, they seemed to be one of the worst for ratio of chicks to show chicks, you might get one nice one in every 50 chicks, where my odds are so much better in Sumatras they are much more consistent, but don't get me started on the Araucana, people who want to show those... they get major credit in my book, they are the most difficult breed of chicken with lethal genes, and hatching, and you can breed two tufted rumpless together and only get one tuft, no tufts, tails.. they have to really Love the breed, they are very dedicated, oop, now I am rambling, guess I am to passionate about chicken.. funny get out at my car at a grocery store here and I hear, mom there's the chicken lady LOL yep I am pretty lucky I get to raise chickens!

 

[ramirezframing]

I got a question to those that show birds. My kid's friend wants to start showing birds, what ages can you be to show at what levels? Where is a good place to get started (do you just take a bird to a show or what)? This girl's brother has game birds, but I think she might be eyeing some of my birds for showing also. Is it alright for her to show her brother's or my birds, or would she have to breed and raise her own birds? Thanks for the information

 

[championsumatra]

you can start at any age. there is always a junior show and open show at a poultry show. I would do the junior show to start out with. because the open show has all the top breeders. it would be hard to beat them starting out that way. start out slow them ones you breed birds that are hard to beat or really nice them start to do the open show.

 

[Infnityhrt]

I know in 4-H, which is a great place to start the ages are 5-19. If you can find a good youth poultry club in your area, those are great. A lot of youth that show in the junior shows in this area are enrolled in a county 4-H club also. They can be very helpful for someone just starting out. Good Luck and enjoy!