Sumatra

The Sumatra is an ornamental breed of chicken that developed on the Indonesian island for which it is named. It is a light-framed, agile bird with dense black feathering that takes on a greenish sheen when the light catches it. Keepers value the breed chiefly for its looks rather than for meat or eggs, and it remains a rarity outside specialist poultry circles in Britain.

A grown Sumatra weighs somewhere between 1.8 and 2.7 kg, putting it firmly in the medium category for chickens. The bird carries itself low and horizontal, and the tail, long and sweeping, can trail well beyond the body on a cock bird. Hens are smaller, with shorter tails, though they share the same dark, glossy colouring.

Sumatras forage keenly and fly strongly, more so than most breeds kept in British gardens. They are wary of people and tend to hold back unless handled regularly from an early age. The breed suits keepers who prize natural behaviour and ornamental appeal over a tame, biddable pet.

Who the Sumatra suits

The Sumatra suits a keeper who wants a striking, self-sufficient bird and can offer room and a covered run. Its strong flight and cautious nature make it a poor match for a small back garden, or for anyone wanting a bird that will sit on the lap. Owners who handle chicks from the outset tend to end up with the settled adults.

The Sumatra takes its name from the island of Sumatra, where fowl of this type were kept by local communities long before Western fanciers took any interest. Early travellers' accounts describe glossy black, long-tailed birds living in a semi-wild state across parts of the Indonesian archipelago.

Stock reached the United States and Europe during the middle of the nineteenth century. Imports arriving in the 1840s and 1850s introduced fanciers to birds with an unusual sheen and flowing tails. At the time, some of these birds were linked to fighting stock, though the reputation that followed rested on their appearance rather than their combativeness.

Over the following decades, breeders selected for the green-black plumage, low carriage and long tail that mark out the bird today. The American Poultry Association admitted the black Sumatra to its Standard of Perfection in 1883, and a blue variety followed later. The Poultry Club of Great Britain also recognises the breed within its own standards for exhibition purposes.

The Sumatra has never served as a production bird. It remains the preserve of ornamental keepers and exhibitors, and numbers stay modest set against the mainstream egg and meat breeds kept across Britain.

The Sumatra carries a long, low body held close to horizontal. Its defining feature is the tail: full and flowing on a cock bird, with long, well-arched sickle feathers. The plumage is black with a strong green sheen across the body, often described as beetle-green. The breed has a small pea comb and a dark face, and many birds carry more than one spur on each leg.

Coat and colours

The black variety came first and remains the more widely kept form. Its feathers throw a metallic green sheen that shows best in direct light. A blue variety carries a slate-blue body colour and is seen far less often. Face, comb and wattles are dark, and the legs are black, frequently with a greenish cast. The breed is judged chiefly on the shine of its plumage, so feather quality and depth of colour count heavily at a show.

The Sumatra keeps much of the alertness and self-reliance of a semi-wild fowl. Birds forage widely and, given the chance, roost as high as they can reach. They fly strongly and will clear fencing that would contain heavier breeds without difficulty, so a secure or covered run matters a great deal.

Around people the breed keeps its distance. Sumatras rarely turn into lap birds, though calm, consistent handling from chick stage produces steadier adults. They notice disturbance quickly and react to it.

Within a settled flock the breed generally gets along, though cocks can turn territorial towards rival males. Hens are quieter and less pushy. Sumatras are moderately vocal rather than noisy, and their watchfulness means they often sound off at anything unfamiliar moving nearby.

Day-to-day care turns on space, security and clean conditions. The breed is hardy and active but flighty, so containment and protection from predators are the main practical concerns.

Grooming

• Check the long tail feathers regularly for breakage, soiling and mud
• Keep bedding dry so the plumage stays clean and glossy
• Provide a dust-bathing area to help keep external parasites down
• Inspect the vent and feather bases for lice and mites
• Trim and check the feet, and keep an eye on the multiple spurs carried by cocks

Exercise

• Give daily access to a large run or supervised free range for foraging
• Fit elevated perches, since the breed likes to roost high
• Use a covered run or high fencing to contain their strong flight
• Offer scratching areas and ground cover to support natural foraging

Environment

Sumatras cope with a range of climates but do best with shelter from wind and wet. The small pea comb is less prone to frostbite than a large single comb, which helps through a cold snap. Provide draught-free housing, good ventilation and shade in hot weather. Cocks' long tails need enough height and width on the roost to hang clear without dragging.

The Sumatra forages keenly, so a fair share of its intake can come from ranging where space allows. A complete commercial poultry feed should form the base of the diet and be matched to the bird's life stage. Provide clean water at all times, along with insoluble grit to aid digestion in birds that forage.

Treats and supplements

Keep treats to a small share of the daily intake so the balanced ration remains the main food source. Suitable extras include leafy greens, vegetables and small amounts of grain or mealworms. Laying hens need a separate source of calcium, such as crushed oyster shell offered free choice. Any bird that forages benefits from access to insoluble grit.

The Sumatra is a hardy breed with few problems specific to it. Given good housing, clean conditions and routine parasite control, birds commonly reach 6 to 9 years old. The small pea comb offers some advantage in cold weather by cutting the risk of frostbite. Most health issues that do arise are the general poultry concerns: parasites, respiratory infection and reproductive trouble in older hens.

Preventive care

• Keep housing clean, dry and well ventilated
• Provide a dust-bathing area to help keep mites and lice down
• Carry out regular parasite checks and faecal monitoring
• Quarantine new birds before adding them to the flock
• Follow local vaccination and biosecurity guidance
• Supply clean water and a balanced ration all year round

Housing for Sumatras has to account for their strong flight and active foraging. A secure coop with high, sturdy perches suits their habit of roosting well up off the ground. The attached run should be covered, since the breed clears ordinary fencing with little effort. Allow more space per bird than you would for a calmer breed, to keep stress and squabbling down.

Setup checklist

• Predator-proof coop with secure latches and a solid floor or a buried mesh apron
• Covered run to stop escapes and keep out aerial predators
• High perches with enough width and clearance for long tail feathers
• Dry, deep bedding kept clean to protect the plumage
• A shaded area and shelter from wind and rain
• A dust-bath area and clean water within the run

Sumatra eggs follow the usual chicken incubation pattern and hatch in around 21 days. The breed keeps fairly strong broody and mothering instincts, so hens will often sit and rear chicks well if allowed to. For larger numbers, or more control over the process, an incubator gives consistent results provided settings stay within the normal range for chickens.

Hatching steps

1. Choose clean, well-shaped eggs and store them pointed end down for no more than 7 days before setting
2. Bring the eggs up to room temperature and set them in the incubator at the target temperature
3. Hold temperature and humidity steady, and turn the eggs through day 17
4. Stop turning on day 18, raise the humidity, and move into lockdown
5. Let chicks hatch undisturbed, then move dried chicks to a warm brooder with starter feed and water