Sumatra Thread!

[flyingmonkeypoop]

I just noticed I didn't really clarify in the other post. These are the only birds free ranging other than a couple faverolle hens so no worry of cross breeding with them

 

[jeremy]

I just noticed I didn't really clarify in the other post. These are the only birds free ranging other than a couple faverolle hens so no worry of cross breeding with them

Awesome. I was sad there for a minute.

I'm also glad to hear you're planing on only using the Dun roo.

 

[flyingmonkeypoop]

I realized that when I went back and read my post, it didn't sound clear to me anyway. I almost made it sound like they were turned loose with the rest of the flock. But there are just a couple old faverolle hens with then and an easter egger, their eggs are all easy to tell apart.

The dun cockerel is better in my eyes for the most part. Later this spring I might turn the black out again but for now, dun is better. Plus we still get black from that. I think the way I might try to work it is to save the pullets from the dun cockerel and mate them back to the black, then when the black gets turned out I will mate his daughters to the dun next year

 

[jeremy]

I have 2 Platinum and 2 Dun chicks in the brooder, plus a few chicks that just hatched today, I'm not sure what color they are yet. Plus a few more eggs under a broody that should be hatching any minute now and I'm putting another 9 eggs in the incubator tonight.

My plan is to outcross to a very nice line of Blacks next year, to work on type. I also feel like I need to add some size to my line, somehow.

 

[Soli]

Jeremy, that's exactly what I plan to do with your cockerel if I get him. I have a nice line of blacks that I'll put him over, save the nicest dun or platinum chicks and cross them back to the black line to get the spurs, size, and feathers. I have a separate line of blue that I am saving just as an outcross, as I'm not as interested in blue as I am the dun/khaki birds. I hope to be able to get some of Mike's dun eggs as well.

Only one of my black hens is laying, as soon as at least one more kicks into gear, I'll have some eggs to trade. By mid summer all 3 should be going.

By contrast, my Phoenix/longtail project birds are laying like there's no tomorrow. Those birds can really pump out the eggs - I'm considering offering a few to sell since I'm pretty much at capacity on the incubator and already have new chicks as well as 3 and 4 month old batches of them.

 

[stonykill]

I'm surprised you guys are getting so few eggs. Due to the varying ages of my girls, I had eggs from them all winter. And just like the last 2 years, almost like clockwork the rest of them kick into high gear in very early February.

 

[Soli]

I'm surprised you guys are getting so few eggs. Due to the varying ages of my girls, I had eggs from them all winter. And just like the last 2 years, almost like clockwork the rest of them kick into high gear in very early February.

All my Sumatra hens are young. The oldest two were late spring hatches last year, the youngest was hatched Aug 23rd of last year.

 

[stonykill]

All my Sumatra hens are young. The oldest two were late spring hatches last year, the youngest was hatched Aug 23rd of last year.

last years march, april and may broody hatches were laying by november at the latest. The incubated and penned birds started laying very late November.They were set on march 3rd of last year. So born by around the 25th of last march. All of these girls laid all winter. Not tremendous amounts, but 2 to 3 eggs a week most week. Each hen that is. My adult girls quit around December 1st, and restarted about February 1st.My youngest is my Splash pullet. She was born mid september and isn't laying yet.

 

[Cloverleaf Farm]

Got my bantam Sumatra eggs today!!!! SO excited!!!

 

[jeremy]

Congrats Cloverleaf!

I had 5 more chicks hatch today, 1 Black, 1 Dun and 1 chick from the shipped Khaki eggs I received, plus another Platinum and I think another Dun under my broody Ameraucana hen. The second chick was still a bit wet so I'm not too sure of the color yet.

The chick that hatched from the shipped eggs is not what I was expecting. I have never seen a Khaki chick of any breed before but I was expecting something blond colored, yellowish down maybe? This chick is more silvery colored with a buttery yellow belly. I emailed the seller with pictures but I haven't received a response yet.

10 more eggs went into the incubator as well.