Differences in Sumatra, Ayam and FibroEEs?

[horror_trashcan]

I love these all black breeds but I'm wondering if I should really shell out extra money for the more expensive ones or just go with a bunch of Sumatras as they're the cheapest. IE I can get 3 Ayams, 4 Fibros or 12 Sumatras, not that I need 12 Sumatras but I would prefer to get at least 4-6 of one breed.

If anyone has had all these breeds or any experience with any of them let me know!

My plans is to breed them with a large breed and keep the dark features, so if any of them are 'better' at passing the gene I suppose that's what I'm aiming for.
I'm not super concerned with temperament or anything else just the dark feathers and skin.

 

[No Coop No Problem]

Frankly it seems like Sumatra are superior in every single quality over Ayam Cemani- except for marketing

Sumatra are far tougher, they lay more eggs, and they're far better looking in my opinion

 

[Amer]

Note, Sumatras are not fibromelanistic. Their dark comb and wattles comes from other genes combined with the dermal melanin and extended black genes. Under the feathers they have yellow skin and regular-colored flesh.
Unless you plan to breed them with black or birchen birds they likely will not pass on any of their unique skin color. If you do breed them with black or birchen birds, it will still require some effort to maintain that skin color.
The fibromelanism gene is dominant. It requires the dermal melanin gene to express, but as you can see from Silkies, it can be combined with any feather color.

 

[horror_trashcan]

Note, Sumatras are not fibromelanistic. Their dark comb and wattles comes from other genes combined with the dermal melanin and extended black genes. Under the feathers they have yellow skin and regular-colored flesh.
Unless you plan to breed them with black or birchen birds they likely will not pass on any of their unique skin color. If you do breed them with black or birchen birds, it will still require some effort to maintain that skin color.
The fibromelanism gene is dominant. It requires the dermal melanin gene to express, but as you can see from Silkies, it can be combined with any feather color.

So a decent idea would be to get a few fibroEEs and breed with a Sumatra so they would have the dark skin? I suppose I don't mind the skin being regular with the outwardly dark look, it'd be worth it for the rest of the breeds qualities. I may skip that entirely if I can breed the Sumatra dark features since they aren't outwardy 'colored'

 

[AGeese]

I love these all black breeds but I'm wondering if I should really shell out extra money for the more expensive ones or just go with a bunch of Sumatras as they're the cheapest. IE I can get 3 Ayams, 4 Fibros or 12 Sumatras, not that I need 12 Sumatras but I would prefer to get at least 4-6 of one breed.

If anyone has had all these breeds or any experience with any of them let me know!

My plans is to breed them with a large breed and keep the dark features, so if any of them are 'better' at passing the gene I suppose that's what I'm aiming for.
I'm not super concerned with temperament or anything else just the dark feathers and skin.

You should be concerned with temperment, that's just good breeding practice. My Sumatra roo is awesome, but he has come at me from behind once. I haven't had to flex on him much, but he's not overly agressive either. I think he's testing me since he's come of age and found his place with the flock. Sumatras are high flyers. He found his way to the truss in my garage and now he gets the girls to roost with him up there.

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I'm pretty much headed in the same direction as you, but I have Liege Fighters for size.

 

[horror_trashcan]

You should be concerned with temperment, that's just good breeding practice.

I meant more like flighty and such, no one wants an aggressive mini dinosaur running around. The high roosting would be good for me as well, I have neighbors with grubby fingers.

 

[No Coop No Problem]

You should be concerned with temperment, that's just good breeding practice. My Sumatra roo is awesome, but he has come at me from behind once. I haven't had to flex on him much, but he's not overly agressive either. I think he's testing me since he's come of age and found his place with the flock. Sumatras are high flyers. He found his way to the truss in my garage and now he gets the girls to roost with him up there.

I've heard it said that Sumatra are the best flying breed in the world. They're a landrace from islands in southeast Asia and it's thought that they literally flew from island to island to spread over the area. It's good that your male isn't being overly violent

I probably should have mentioned in my original post here that they're quite spirited and less suitable for confinement than the other mentioned breeds

 

[horror_trashcan]

I've heard it said that Sumatra are the best flying breed in the world. They're a landrace from islands in southeast Asia and it's thought that they literally flew from island to island to spread over the area. It's good that your male isn't being overly violent

I probably should have mentioned in my original post here that they're quite spirited and less suitable for confinement than the other mentioned breeds

Not worried about keeping them confined, I was looking for a more flighty breed as well so it seems like I'll be stocking up on the Sumatras. I would like to eventually have some of them be 'wild' so I feel those would be good traits, tons of places for them to fly up to and escape.

 

[AGeese]

He effortlessly floats into the air. Just the other day I was explaining somewhere else on the forum about when he heard some racket going on with my other girls in the garage (I keep the overhead door raised about 5 or 6 inches so they all have to crawl under to go outside, that way I don't have geese or dogs invading.)

Anyway, before I knew it he had zipped right under the door, and in one fell swoop was up onto a trash can by us, and let out his best crow as his black cape came down and drapped around him.

After that I nicknamed him Zorro.

 

[horror_trashcan]

He effortlessly floats into the air. Just the other day I was explaining somewhere else on the forum about when he heard some racket going on with my other girls in the garage (I keep the overhead door raised about 5 or 6 inches so they all have to crawl under to go outside, that way I don't have geese or dogs invading.)

Anyway, before I knew it he had zipped right under the door, and in one fell swoop was up onto a trash can by us, and let out his best crow as his black cape came down and drapped around him.

After that I nicknamed him Zorro.

That's a beautiful way to paint them, I'm very excited to add them to my flock!