Our Sumatras
This is one of our first females, from the trio we bought at
the National show Stafford in 2001.
Sumatras are classed as a light rare breed with both large and bantam versions, the latter being recreated in the late 1970’s. We only keep the bantams. They originated on the island of Sumatra and the Malay peninsular. Straight and upright in front, pheasant-like giving a proud and stately appearance, with a long, flowing tail, carried horizontally. They are beautiful birds, especially when the sun shines on them with a glowing, iridescent green sheen to their black plumage. (Similar to the Cayuga ducks in this respect).
They are very hardy, but because of the long flowing tails in the males we keep them inside on dry litter when the weather is bed and the ground gets muddy. It is very difficult to get mud off the long tail feathers without damaging them. Prevention is the best cure as it takes so long before a damaged tail is replaced.
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Sumatra's are very good layers, and their eggs are fairly large for a bantam. They also make excellent mothers and are supposed to be very good for hatching duck eggs - though mine have only hatched their own. They have a good hatching rate - so far those brooded by the mother have been 100% while the incubator has yielded 72%. Pictured are three of our youngsters with their dad. |
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"You should have seen the one that got away - it was THIS big" I didn't know Sumatra's went fishing! |
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Males can get along quite happy together if a few
precautions are followed.
They are also quieter when there aren't females to show off to, but
still make a noise when you go to feed them. I suppose they are clamouring
for our attention instead.
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