Chicken Breed Focus - Sultan

[sumi]

Sultans are an easy to identify breed. With their usually pure white feathering, their full crest, beard, muffs, V-shaped comb, large nostrils, low wing carriage, vulture hocks, profusely feathered shanks and toes, and five toes on each foot, they have more distinguishing features than any other breed.

Sultans are an old breed that originated in southeastern Europe and were bred in Turkey, where they were known as the Serai Taook/Tavuk (Sultan’s Palace Fowl), legend having it that they were primarily used as ornamental fowl in the Sultan’s gardens. It is not known what breeds went into their makeup originally, but Polish chickens were used by early breeders in the UK and US to improve the breed. They were first imported into England from Istanbul in 1854, and into the US in 1867and today they are a rather popular show bird and ornamental bird. The APA recognizes solid White, by far the most popular color, they are also occasionally found in Black and Blue.

Sultans tend to be active very friendly gentle birds and are said to be very talkative. They do well in confinement and many breeders raise them indoors. They are popular in urban gardens since they do little damage to the grass. Their mild temperament means they can be bullied by more aggressive breeds and do best in flocks with similar temperaments. They are fairly temperature tolerant but because of all their extra feathering they do not do well in wet or muddy weather and do not do well free ranging. The hens are fair layers of small/medium white eggs, they usually are non-sitters.

It was recognized by the APA in 1874.
It is on The Livestock Conservancy's Critical list.

Details:
Breed purpose: Ornamental
Comb Type: “V”
Broodiness: Non-setter
Climate Tolerance: Hot climates
Weight: 6 lbs roosters, 4 lbs hens
Egg Productivity: Fair
Egg Size: Small/ Medium
Egg Color: White

BYC Breed reviews:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/products/sultan

General breed discussions & FAQ thread:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/272085/the-sultan-thread/0_20


Sultan rooster @hokankai


Sultan rooster @kyexotics


Sultan chicks @yellowherb


Sultan flock @cluck-cluck


Sultan flock @kiaa


Sultan flock @hokankai


Sultan pullet @fishnet1971

Do you own Sultans? Are you a Sultan breeder? If so, please reply to this thread with the your thoughts and experiences, including:

· What made you decide to get this breed?
· Do you own them for fun? Breeding? Some other purpose?
· What are your favorite characteristics about this breed?
· Post some pics of your birds; male/female, chicks, eggs, etc!

We have a bunch of other awesome breed-focus threads for you to enjoy. You can see all of them here: https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/chicken-breed-focus-project.975504/

 

[Chicken Girl1]

Thank you Sumi for doing these!

 

[BantyChooks]

I have one cockerel, (Bubbles) I own him for fun and eye candy. He is my favorite of all my chickens.

 

[BantyChooks]

Bumping..... Sultans need more awareness!

New sultans:

Zoey


Hazel

 

[yellowherb]

When I got into chickens I looked for the most unique chicken I could find. I knew my husband would limit me on how many so I had to concentrate on ONE breed if I wanted to keep a pure chicken. So after looking around I found sultans! That's a unique chicken, hard to find and has everything but the kitchen sink. It took me a while to get my flock since they are so hard to find.

I have 2 roosters, always a alpha and a 2nd in command waiting in the wings to mature. My hens and pullets are from 3 to 4 sources. I maintain a small flock of less than 10 adults but always hatch chicks out. I keep hoping to pick the best chicks to add back to my flock but it's very rare for me to get one I think is good enough. I guess I have HIGH standards haha.

I love how gentle and friendly Sultans are. They are not skittsh around humans and will often walk around outside next to me..maybe they can't see me due to the head poof since occasionally one realizes I'm there and will jump about 3 foot off the ground when they see me.

My goal when I began was to get a unique bird and donate chicks to some local kids for 4h projects. Well turns out my county does not have a chicken class in 4h shows. So now it's just raising awareness of the breed and encouraging people to keep sultans or at least one. It would break my heart to see this wonderful, beautiful breed of chicken go extinct. As a side goal I am now trying to work on colors. I believe a lot of people are off put by the fact the sultans are white. Personally I love seeing my flock of white sultans out hanging around the bird aviaries and hoping for scattered seed. The pristine white of them makes them even more unique. I would enjoy having some pretty colors, but not enough to ever replace my main flock of white sultans.

I LOVE the reactions of people who visit to see my aviary birds when they spot the sultans for the first time. Most take a minute to even realize they are chickens. Then they are amazed at how beautiful and sweet these chickens are. The local high school invited me in for a few lectures on genetics, I was allowed to bring some birds and immediately I knew I would be bringing a sultan in as well as pet birds. The sultan got more attention from the kids than the English budgies or cockatiels did! Even now my daughter says the kids at school will often ask about Flossy or "that funny chicken".


Some girls are enjoying the shade under the deck on a hot florida day.
From the left to right: Flossy, Melikki, Pretty girl, Leader.

 

[HollowHillHatchery]

I Love My Pair of Sultans! The rooster takes such good care of his Hens, I recently moved three Easter Egger pullets with him, and he is so sweet. I also have a chick hatched from them, I suspect that he is a cockerel but I am not sure.

 

[MilesFluffybutt]

Can a Sultan be black skinned? One of the chicks I purchased at Tractor Supply does not look like a Silkie - the other five do.

 

[HollowHillHatchery]

No, sultans cannot be black skinned. Your chick seems to be a white silkie cross

 

[MilesFluffybutt]

After I thought about it, it's more likely that he's likely a genetically defective Silkie. If I understand Silkie genetics correctly, the feathering gene has to be recessive in both parents. So it stands to reason that one of his parents expressed the gene dominantly.

 

[pasdechat73]

Speaking of Sultans...

This is my girl giving me "thanks" for letting her inside last week. She hates the snow.

Sincerely, Ms. Matty (aka Madelyn) the Sultan