Day Old Black Sumatra Baby Chicks
Hatching March to September.
Black Sumatras give you an idea of what chickens might have been like before hundreds of years of domestication. They are a little wild and very beautiful.
Production: Black Sumatras are strictly ornamental, but will lay around 100 eggs per year. They are quite small, and so not suitable to raise for meat.
Temperament: Sumatras don’t like to be handled, and males can be aggressive toward each other, especially during the breeding season. They are good fliers and do not like containment.
History: The first Sumatras were imported into the United States in the 1800s for purposes of fighting. Today, they are raised for their beauty. Black Sumatras are a dark, beetle-green color, with long hackle and tail feathers. Their plumage and carriage are beautiful.
Aside from the fact that they retain enough “wild” characteristics that they are often compared to pheasants, Sumatras also often have multiple spurs on each foot. They are certainly not “typical” small flock fowl, but their rarity and beauty make them worth keeping.
They are excellent foragers, and active. Another unusual aspect of Sumatras is that they tend to breed seasonally. Most of the time, males can live harmoniously together, but during breeding season become aggressive. Hens are generally only broody during breeding season as well.
Black Sumatras were accepted into the American Poultry Association’s Standard of Perfection in 1883.
Colors: Black Sumatras are a consistent, dark, greenish color. Their plumage is lustrous and stunning. Black Sumatras have yellow skin, while their comb, face, wattles, beak, and earlobes are a dark purple to black color. Toes and shanks are black to dark willow and the bottom of their feet are yellow.
Livestock Conservancy Status: Sumatras are listed in the Critical category. This means that there are fewer than 500 breeding birds in the US and 5 or fewer breeding flocks. Much work is needed to bring this ancient and beautiful breed back to healthy population levels.
Body Type: The Sumatra is small, but has great command due to its impressive carriage and long, regal-looking feathering.
Standard Weights: Rooster 5 lbs, Hen 4 lbs, Cockerel 4 lbs, Pullet 3.5 lbs
APA Class: Any Other Standard Breeds
