english

Sumatra Game

Breed Review

The Sumatra is a pheasant-like , elegant longtailed gamefowl originating from the island of Sumatra (Indonesia). First specimins have been imported into the United States in 1847. In the beginning these birds (armed with steel spurs) were used in the cockfighting circuit as purebred fowl or crossed with American Game. According old gamefowl publications these Sumatra Game proved to be very succesful. But after a while interest in Oriental gamefowl faded including the Sumatra. But this attractive breed very soon got attention of exhibition breeders and the Sumatra was standarized in the US in 1883. The Sumatra soon became very popular. A number of birds have been imported into Germany (1882) and years later into England (1902). At present day the breed still attracts a fair number of breeders and many visitors of poultry shows are caught by these blackish-green glossy eyecatching bush fowl. The Sumatra is also bred as a bantam variety. These however are not bred in large numbers and quite rare. Sumatra's are not only bred in the typical black colour but also in blue and blackred. It is advised to keep Sumatra's in spacious pens or if necesarry let them roam free. If the breeder puts in some time and effort his/her birds can become quite tame. But they always will stay alert and keep an eye on the situation. In case of danger they can make ja ump-start vertically in the air in a split second ! Sumatra's are profilic layers and good mothers.