Black Sumatras
According to the American Livestock Breeds Conservancy, Sumatras are critically endangered, with
only
some 500 breeding birds known to exist in the United States,
and endangered worldwide.
According to the American Livestock Breeds Conservancy
website, "Sumatras are a distinctive fowl which look
less like domestic poultry than other chickens. They have rather
long tails carried low enough to appear drooping. They have multiple
spurs on each leg, dark purple faces and a high degree of greenish
luster on jet black plumage." The photo above fits this
description pretty well: my pet rooster Fabian, at age 20 months,
making like he is the Cock from Outer Space. In this photo his
is seriously contemplating picking a fight with the photographer
(to wit: me).
Above is a photo of three of my Black Sumatras, taken when
they were 18 months old. Please forgive Fabian's appearance.
In this case it is early August, just before the fall moult,
and his tail feathers are ratty from all that mating. Just ask
his mate, Crescent and Emerald, who are standing behind him.
When this photo was taken, they both had raised batches of chicks.
Right afterward they began setting again and each raised some
more before winter set in.
Here they were at age six months. Click on these photos and
you'll see bigger versions of these images.
