People have long loved to attend cockfights. Even now, in many countries of the world these fights continue to interest many bird breeders.
However, some famous breeds of fighting chickens, such as the Sumatran, are used by birdwatchers exclusively to decorate their summer cottage.
Sumatran fighting chickens are a very original breed. Roosters have sharp doubles, and in some cases even triple spurs. They help the enemy to deliver deadly blows.
In all other respects, the shape of the body and the structure of the legs are similar to other fighting birds.
Description of Sumatran chicken breed
They have not very big head. It houses a small, red pod-shaped comb. It is planted almost horizontally in both chickens and roosters. The face is scarlet. Earrings painted in the same color.
In roosters, they are not very large, and in chickens they are hardly noticeable. The beak is strong, but short and slightly curved towards the end. The eyes are dark.
Chest flat, but feathered. It is located almost vertically, so the bird has an even and graceful posture. The neck is rather long with a slight bend. It smoothly passes into a wide back, which gradually tapers towards the tail.
The stomach is poorly developed, so it does not interfere during the battle. As for the tail, it is very lush with long braids. And the rooster is much longer kositsy than the chicken. In all other respects, hens and roosters are alike. They differ only in primary sex characteristics and body weight.
Features
Sumatran fighting chickens have an attractive appearance. That is why they are often bred as an ornamental breed. They well complement any country site.
Unlike ordinary ornamental chickens, the Sumatran warriors are distinguished by their aggressive nature. They can easily attack chickens from meat or egg breeds.
As a rule, in such a fight only the Sumatran fighter is the winner, as these birds are characterized by good endurance and great strength.
Also, we should not forget that in almost all fighting breeds of chickens there are certain breeding problems. Our birds are no exception.
Hens do not know how to follow the laying, so chickens rarely hatch naturally. To do this, the breeder must separately buy an incubator or constantly buy young stock from other fans of this bird.
By itself, this breed is unusual, so its breeding should be done only by professionals in their field. Beginners can simply not cope with its content, which will lead to the death of livestock.
Content and cultivation
Due to poor egg production, reproduction of chickens is significantly complicated. To constantly replenish livestock breeder must install an incubator.
Moreover, only eggs weighing more than 40 g are suitable for incubation. Eggs should also be periodically checked for the presence of an embryo in them, since many of the eggs may be unfertilized.
There are some difficulties in the arrangement of the house. The fact is that this bird was originally bred in the warm climate of Sumatra, so it does not tolerate severe frosts. So that the birds do not supercool once again, it is enough to equip a reliable heated poultry house during the cold season.
An ideal house should have large windows., 1.8-meter ceilings, as well as thick bedding. It will help to keep warm in the hen house, even in winter. In particular, peat litter retains heat well.
In addition to good heating, it is very important to have green walking. While walking the chickens will spend the energy accumulated during sleep. They will also collect seeds, insects, and small stones and shells to help improve digestion. You also need to closely monitor the intake of proteins in the body of chickens.
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The fact is that birds that receive insufficient amounts of protein may become weaker. In the future, this will affect the effectiveness of fights and appearance.
It is important for breeders to know that they need to be kept separate from other birds. Otherwise, more peaceful breeds of poultry can be seriously injured and even die. Best for content are spacious aviaries.
Specifications
The live weight of roosters and chickens is 3 and 2.5 kg, respectively. Egg production leaves much to be desired. Layers are able to lay only 50 eggs per year. On average, eggs are light-colored and weigh 40 grams. The average survival rate of young and adult birds reaches 87%.
Analogs
Analogy can become Sundanese hens.
They are characterized by good endurance, excellent body composition and aggressive character, which is ideal for fighting.
Unfortunately, these birds do not have such an “elegant” appearance, but they are also often kept as a decorative bird.
Instead of chickens of the Sumatran fighting breed, you can start a traditional fighting breed Azil. However, birds of this breed should be used exclusively in battles, otherwise they begin to lose their physical form.
If the birds do not live an active life, they need to provide good green walking. Then Azili will be able to walk freely, delighting the owner of the site.
Also a good substitute for the Malay fighting chickens. They are much more common with Russian breeders, so any farmer who is willing can easily form a parent flock in their own area.
These birds have a greater body weight, so they need a greater amount of protein feed to properly maintain their shape.
Conclusion
Sumatran Fighting Chickens ideally combine the decorative appearance and behavior of a real aggressive fighter. That is why they can often be found in areas of breeders who are not even interested in cockfighting.
However, it must be remembered that fighting game birds need special maintenance and nutrition. For this reason, the maintenance of this bird should be done only by experienced breeders.