What sex is my sultan chicken?

[Twilight Sparkles]

This is our Sultan, "Snow" who began crowing a week ago. We were told a Silkie Mix but he didn't look like one.

Snow is so so so pretty. We had 2 sultans but one died. And the one that died is the prettier, nicer, gentler, super friendly one. This Carlos girl is a baddass . Her name was Chickaletta. They came together and were best buddies. I still miss her very much. She died suddenly- looking ill late afternoon, went to see a vet at 9pm, and by 6am already gone to chicken heaven. She was seriously the best chicken lap nap and all.

 

[Twilight Sparkles]

Unfortunately, dogs as severely brachycelaphic as pekes come with breathing problems. That's what the wheezing and snorting noises they make are- their throat is too constricted and their sinuses crammed into too tight of a space. Some of the really bad-off ones need surgery to correct it. It's such a shame, they're lovely dogs, but that head shape isn't a healthy thing to breed for. There's a movement to breed "retromop" pugs, which are pugs that are a bit more functionally shaped, but I haven't seen anything like that for pekes.

What kinds of snakes do you have? It takes a fairly large snake to threaten chickens, let alone small dogs, so unless you have venomous ones it probably isn't a concern. Nonvenomous snakes that aren't large enough to threaten chickens are best left to their own devices, they'll eat pest rodents for you.

On pekes, we do have friends with breathing problems that had to have surgery either to make the nostril larger, get rid of the fold, or something to do with elongated palate. Our 3 pekes do not have breathing problems. But one has IVDD- a common disease in pekes. A sad breed really with so many health issues. Lots of money and time spent on a disease that cant really be cured. But i am so in love with them and there is no other breed for me. They are so special to me at least. It doesnt surprise me that pekes are unpopular everywhere in the world. (Yes, there was a post on peke’s facebook page asking members to share if pekes are popular in their country. Everyone kind of said no)

 

[MROO]

Awww! Carlos (maybe Carla now?) is a beautiful girl!! I want a sultan now!

If you want a Sultan, get it soon or you may miss out on them entirely. They're on the critically endangered list. It's a shame we can't get more people interested in breeding them. They're so beautiful - and very sweet natured. I wish I had more room, so I could add a flock, myself. We already have one CE breed - Nankin Bantams. It's so cool being part of the effort to save something special!

 

[BackyardChickenGuy]

New to the site, but I have 3 Sultan Roos and 4 Hens that I have been debating on breeding. I didn't know they were on the critical list, but this gives me a reason to go forward with incubation.

 

[MROO]

New to the site, but I have 3 Sultan Roos and 4 Hens that I have been debating on breeding. I didn't know they were on the critical list, but this gives me a reason to go forward with incubation.

Awesome! Check out the Conservation Priority List at www.livestockconservancy.org . It's kinda scary what we could possibly lose if no one steps up!