sumatras

[naked_neck]

i need imput about your experiences with sumatras.

i have one and she is extremely mean(to humans--if you pick her up--and new birds). she is hostile toward my layers. she bites like crazy and wont let go. i've never heard a chicken growl but she makes a noise that sounds pretty close to one. she even CLIMBS chainlink fencing.

shes about 4-5 months old. she has always been high strung and flighty even when i got her as a day old chick. i thought she was a roo as a baby. she was raised with 2 guineas (if that makes a difference) but they never were mean in any way. ive handled her since she was little.

anybody else have any experience with sumatras? i know theyre not really a "friendly" breed but the one my sis had a few years ago was a complete doll--she loved to be held and scratched.

 

[wclawrence]

They are game chickens, deep down...(some are still used for fighting purposes!)
So they can be a little different than 'normal' chickens.
A bit rougher, a bit more high strung..
good luck with her.
when you figure out how to put up with games you will enjoy her more!

 

[herechickchick]

My rooster is a doll. Very sweet and quiet. He lives on my friends farm now and loves it. He did not really like being a city chicken and did not like confinement. He is so sweet. Perhaps you got a bad strain. I would try some others from a different breeder.

 

[flyingmonkeypoop]

It really depends on where you get them. We had some blacks that were evil but looked really nice. We have a blue roo that is sweet and calm and 2 black roos that are hyper and crazy and nippy. Some of the hens are calm while others hate being near people, we have a blue hen that can fly up walls and she is hard to catch.
The bantams we have are all sweet and calm. They love to be held and are like wyandottes as far as temperment but we sold a pair to a friend and hers are mean and crazy.
Our sumatras have been known to be canabalistic and when we raise chicks, we raise them away from other birds.

 

[Pinenot]

They were originally a jungle bird from the island of Sumatra. My roo was very aggressive and he is at a different home now. I have children and they were being attacked. My hen is soooo sweet! I think it is a chance with this breed.

 

[naked_neck]

thanks for the replys. i really like her even though she can be evil. this year ill probably cross her with one of my NN or polish roos or my silkie if it turns out to be a roo. hopefully that will tone down to attitude in the babies. i wish i had a sumatra roo to cross with her but the other 2 i got as day old chick died.

after having a rabbit that would growl and attack, i can put up with the fightiness(is that a word?). we gave away the rabbit to a guy that wanted to breed her and she killed her mate. we all know where she wound up.