Black Sumatra Bantams
This breed is an ornimental and to see a group of these out free-ranging is a beautiful sight.
Black Sumatra Game bantam
Click on photos to enlarge
It is a very old breed and now quite rare. Originally it was used as a fighting bird, but thankfully this is banned in the UK, but still takes place in some countries. The hens lay very well and are brilliant sitters and are still used to incubate ornamental pheasants.
These do best on free-range and are hardy. If confined, they need to be housed in an aviary large enough to give them plenty of room. They are easy to breed and can become quite tame.
I keep a large breeding group of Sumatra’s and it’s one breed that need to be taken up and preserved by poultry keepers.
The Sumatra’s have black plumage with a high sheen. The bones are black, as is the flesh and a pure bred Sumatra has a gypsy comb (purple).
This line was started a number of years ago with a superb longtail cock.Longtails are now very rare and I know of no other line in the UK of this type.
I have found that this breed do very well living a semi wild lifestyle.They are well able to fly up to roost well out of harms way. They are alert but not flighty and thrive if allowed total free-range.
White eggs.
Sumatra Cock.
Sumatra Bantam.
Fantastic Cock Bird although my own are young and are still quite underdeveloped in terms of tail and spur i have won numerous shows with them and have raised a few eyebrows among older breeders of common true bantams such as pekin and dutch, just thought id comment on how fantastic the birds and photography of yours is,i currently keep black bantam sumatra and my two hens of which are laying every day and i am currently incubating 10 of their eggs i have also been notified at how wonderful my stock is and i totally agree that this bird should be sustained by poultry keepers every where because they are such a grand bird but are in such a rarity… Jack Partridge
i love the look of your samatra cock and i was wondering were i can buy some like yours
I love these birds as they are almost fox proof. I have had them for nearly 3 years ranging in our garden. They fly out of harms way and like the trees and strutting along high walls. The hens are very canny and I have not lost one yet. The fox has had a go at the boys, but there are a lot of tail feathers before getting to the bird. We have 15, 5 cocks and 10 hens, and they all get along fantastically. Some of the hens were hand reared by my children last year and still come in the kitchen for a pet and a treat. The cockerils have a classic crow and fabulous long sweeping tails. I would like to get some new blood into the group and would be happy to have some eggs if you have any available. Karolena.