Sumatra Thread!

[mistfall]

Hi all,
For a breeding project, I'm looking for "reject" Sumatras that have purple feather sheen or blue sheen (not the purple barring due to nutritional issues, but a true violet sheen). I've heard people complain about hatchery stock with this fault. Does anyone know which hatcheries produce too-purple birds?

(I'd love to deal with breeders who work with violaceous breeds, but I live in Hawaii and can't find anyone willing to go through the troublesome paperwork and NPIP certification required to ship here, so I have to acquire stock from hatcheries.)

 

[TattooedChicks]

Hi all,
For a breeding project, I'm looking for "reject" Sumatras that have purple feather sheen or blue sheen (not the purple barring due to nutritional issues, but a true violet sheen). I've heard people complain about hatchery stock with this fault. Does anyone know which hatcheries produce too-purple birds?

(I'd love to deal with breeders who work with violaceous breeds, but I live in Hawaii and can't find anyone willing to go through the troublesome paperwork and NPIP certification required to ship here, so I have to acquire stock from hatcheries.)

My girl from Ideal started with some purple as a younger bird, but at 3 months old she's nothing but green. Haven't had any others, but good luck!

 

[Ogrebite]

Finally decided to join the thread rather than lurk, I started raising a set of 6 sumatra chicks back in July. They are my first dive into raising chickens and I'm very pleased that I picked sumatras to start with, crazy personalities. They are at a month and a half now and the tail feathers are split into two types, a V and an M shape (chicken facing upward). Is this an indication of cockerel vs hen?

 

[Lauravonsmurf]

I have wondered about the purple feather thing myself... but no I have no Sumatra yet.

 

[TattooedChicks]

Finally decided to join the thread rather than lurk, I started raising a set of 6 sumatra chicks back in July. They are my first dive into raising chickens and I'm very pleased that I picked sumatras to start with, crazy personalities. They are at a month and a half now and the tail feathers are split into two types, a V and an M shape (chicken facing upward). Is this an indication of cockerel vs hen?

I'm not sure I'm following, but my pullet has shown a low, broad paddle shaped tail since feather development kicked in.

 

[AllenK RGV]

I have added corn on the cob at 6/1$ to the diet as well. They really tear those up, unfortunately at that price you have to husk the corn yourself, but 10 chicks are now taking 5 minutes to clean those up. Just tucked them in to their coop for the night. It is so hard to believe they accept me so well. I have never had a dog as easy to train as chicken=)

 

[AllenK RGV]

My chicken are also from July'ish, and clueless on sexing them. I just am assuming the roos are the ones who like to spread their neckfeathers and challenge others at this point. To my eye the hens are putting weight on earlier and have more rounded feathers and the roos more arrowhead shaped feathers. I am finally seeing lots of the green sheen feathering becoming expressed and am grateful. At this stage I haven't seen any purple indications and ordered from an Ohio breeder via MPC. My straight run of 10 I am now thinking was a 4 hen's to 6 roo's but can't be sure, but I am convinced that with that so many roo's who can fly I will annoy quite a few neighbors who keep chicken too. In my corner of the world that is every other address on 1 acre lots, but I am counting on predators thinning my roo's some during the day. So hopefully I won't become a pariah. After all I tolerate the neighbor's peahen's 1 door down without problem I just worry about breeding season and the bantams across the streets roo's.

 

[AllenK RGV]

Finally decided to join the thread rather than lurk, I started raising a set of 6 sumatra chicks back in July. They are my first dive into raising chickens and I'm very pleased that I picked sumatras to start with, crazy personalities. They are at a month and a half now and the tail feathers are split into two types, a V and an M shape (chicken facing upward). Is this an indication of cockerel vs hen?

Please protect them from those horrid raccoon you have in MD. I keep mine in a chicken vault at night. Best regards.

 

[AllenK RGV]

I'm not sure I'm following, but my pullet has shown a low, broad paddle shaped tail since feather development kicked in.

View attachment 1139045

Is it just me or are the young pullets seeming to hold on to the white wing feathers longer? My apparent pullets all seem to still have the white wing feather, without exception. There is only one that is a male by tail angle at this point. But the fatter females with their round feathers and white wing feather seems to be the most reliable 12 week indicator of their sex.

I welcome being wrong on this as I am new but from what I have seen it might be true.

 

[TattooedChicks]

Is it just me or are the young pullets seeming to hold on to the white wing feathers longer? My apparent pullets all seem to still have the white wing feather, without exception. There is only one that is a male by tail angle at this point. But the fatter females with their round feathers and white wing feather seems to be the most reliable 12 week indicator of their sex.

I welcome being wrong on this as I am new but from what I have seen it might be true.

At 14 weeks, Kiki just recently dropped her last white wing feather-- and almost all those big, pretty tail feathers. I'd be in agreement with that statement.