White Sultans.... pics please!

[tnchickenut]

I recently fell for one of those hatchery emails with special deals. This one was 25 assort. rare breed all PULLETS! Well, I figured for the price I would order all 25 keep about half for layer/pets and sell the breeds I'm not that into. I thought sultan would be one of those breeds right off the bat I would sell. I got one in the mix and she has very quickly became my favorite!

So, anyone got any pics of theirs? Stories? Advice on whether I should find her a good home or find her a boy? I read in my latest ALBC member directory that they have slipped down to critical status so that makes me want to breed her... but like I said... she is hatchery. So.... anywho... let's discuss sultans!

 

[Chickenmaven]

My 5 are about 9 weeks old. Very dainty & cute!

 

[ThePolishPrincess]

I've always loved mine. First came from McMurray, he was the best rooster I've ever had. Very sweet, great with the hens, and loved to be held. He was very weak, though, and I've noticed mine tended to get sick easier than others. My second and current is a female who is very similar. She is very, very quiet and docile. Always has been. She's so sweet.

My hen when she was younger:

My rooster when he was younger (he's now deceased):

My rooster became ill before his second birthday, with some Respiratory Infection. When he was being taken care of I left a chinese food container that I usually put his feed in, with him. He somehow got his head stuck in the middle of the night and sufficated. I blame myself totally, and to this day never leave a cup in with any bird, I always take them out. Trust me, it wasn't a pleasant sight, greeting him good morning then looking over to see...well....you know...point being, he was a great rooster. What a waste of a beautifully youthful life. I'd do anything to have him back. His 'wife' (favorite mate) died roughly a year after him, we don't even know why. But before they left, when both were healthy and full of life, I hatched an egg, and who were the lucky ones to parent the beautiful chick?

The offspring turned out to be a hen, and she is the last part I have of her Daddy. She's quite the little tuffy, and despite her parents' untimely demises, she is very healthy and is here with us, almost 3 years later.

The Sultan hen we have now is also my baby. She was the first bird I ever showed and won me a reasonable amount of ribbons and trophies. My grandparents suggested I breed her but my parents didn't want to deal with that type of chaos. And, as the point you drew up, hatchery birds aren't the best place to start. Just as well, a year later and you can certainly tell she isn't fit for breeding. She's too big, her crest is too small, etc. She's retired now, and leads the happy life, amongst her flockmates. Obviously, I'd keep her if I were you.

My only advice is that you should watch and make sure she is not bullied. My Rozzy drew alot of attention and had to be separated multiple times for being picked on.

 

[tnchickenut]

went out and took a pic of the pullet in question.... She is about a month and ahalf (6 weeks) old now......

 

[tnchickenut]

Anyone have a suggestion on a good Sultan breeder?

 

[flgardengirl]

Beautiful birds!!

 

[ThePolishPrincess]

I know chickenzoo breeds them.

 

[tnchickenut]

I know there is only one breeder listed with the ALBC for Sultans. ONE!?!?!

The problem with having so few choices of breeders is how long can you maintain (as a country) the health of the breed? Thanks to our national security and other post 9/11 restrictions in our lives... it's not so easy to just get birds from other countries... so what we have here is pretty much all we have to work with.

I'm just weighing it all before I decide to either work with the breed or not. Either way, I think I'll keep her as a pet in my "blind" flock of pets. I have some oddball Polish. One white hen, one white crested lavender hen, one white crested blue male... and now a white sultan. lol.

 

[omahalostpunk]

I'm new and a little lost. What is wrong with it being from a Hatchery? Also what is ALBC? Sultans are breed I have thought to breed down the road. I think they are adorable birds. I think I saw a listing on Ebay last week, someone had an ad for an assortment of 25 eggs from their purebreeds. It stood out to me and found a website for them. I don't remember the name, but I think Sultans were one of their breeds of birds and they seem like they post eggs regularly there. Gabbard Farms was the place, I think it's in MO.

 

[tnchickenut]

Quote:
When breeding for show to just simply to follow the APA Standard, hatchery stock generally is not the best place to start. They don't breed for quality as much as they breed for quantity. I know for other breeds, they have even sold crosses as purebred.

ALBC is The American Livestock Breed Conservancy. It's just what it sounds like, a organization made up of breeders of rare breeds (not just poultry) who are working together to save the endangered breeds from extinction.

I'll check out ebay... but ebay is filled with scammers and new breeders who may not have the best stock at all. I'd be cautious, but wouldn't rule it out completely.


If you are planning on breeding, please spend a few bucks and get a SOP (Standard of Perfection) - the black and white copy is enough - and breed accordingly. You may want to join a club like the APA or ABA or ALBC as well. There is alot to breeding other than having a roo with your hens. Lots to learn and these groups help alot.