Snape and Lilly are our newest birds. They are Black Sumatras. These are a critically endangered breed; that means that there are very few of them left. This is Snape and Lilly side-by-side. Their faces are black, or sometimes purple. This is rather unique to black sumatras. Lilly's tail is very large for a hen. Can you see how long Snape's tail is? This is Snape's face. He has extra skin under his beak. His earlobe and waddles are connected. His comb is bent and wavy. Chickens usually have one spur. But, sumatra roosters tend to have multiple spurs. Three is the ideal number. Snape has three, but one is fairly small. This picture does not show his true color very well. His black feathers have a beetle-green sheen to them.
His saddle feathers and tail feathers are very long. The tips of his tail feathers are wearing down and getting dirty because he drags them. It is impossible for him to keep them off the ground. These originated in Sumatra and Yemen and are very similar to their wild ancestors. The roosters tend to be fairly calm, but they can get territorial for a few months during their breeding season. The natives used to catch wild roosters to have them fight for shows. Then, after the breeding season was over, the roosters were released back into the wild. These are not fighting birds, but they have been bred into many breeds that are known for fighting.
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Just two brothers
Nanners & Mashers are brothers who just want to share their birds with the world. Archives
April 2016
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