Sumatra
OrnamentalIndonesia
The Sumatra is the closest thing to a wild bird you'll find in a breed catalog: lustrous black plumage with a beetle-green sheen, a long flowing tail carried low, and flight skills that make fences a formality. It's hardy, striking, and happiest with space to roam.
Eggs per year
100–120
Egg color
White
Egg size
Small
Hen weight
3.5–4.5 lbs
Temperament
Wild and independent
Broodiness
Often broody
Did you know?
Sumatra roosters often grow multiple spurs on each leg, a trait almost unheard of in other breeds.
Sumatra egg production
Expect roughly 100–120 white eggs a year from a Sumatra in her prime — about 2 a week, or 8–10 dozen over the course of a year. These are occasional layers — kept more for looks or character than for a full egg basket. Production naturally dips during the annual molt and the short days of winter, and eases off as a hen ages past her second or third year. Most pullets lay their first egg somewhere between five and eight months old.
Temperament & handling
The Sumatra is generally described as wild and independent. They tend to be active, alert foragers that would rather be busy in the run than sitting in your lap, so give them space and things to do.
Climate & care
Rated cold-hardy, the Sumatra rides out hard winters well as long as the coop stays dry and draft-free — keep drinking water from freezing and watch combs and wattles for frostbite in a deep freeze. It handles summer heat comfortably too, given shade, cool water, and good airflow.
Broodiness & raising chicks
Sumatrahens go broody often and make devoted mothers, so you can let one hatch a clutch the natural way. If you'd rather incubate, our incubation calculator maps out candling and hatch day.
Space & feeding
A Sumatra hen is a small bird at 3.5–4.5 lbs. As a rule of thumb, a small flock of 6 would want around 24 sq ft of coop and 60 sq ft of run, with about 2 nest boxes and 5 ft of roost. Size it to your own flock with the coop size calculator, and estimate the monthly feed bill — and your real cost per egg — with the feed cost calculator.
Is the Sumatra right for you?
A great fit if…
- You want a striking bird kept for looks and personality
- You get real winters and need a hardy bird
- You keep chickens in a hot climate
- You'd love hens that hatch and raise their own chicks
Think twice if…
- You want the most low-maintenance possible first bird
- You want the absolute maximum egg output
- You only want eggs and would rather hens didn't go broody
- You want a lap chicken that loves being handled
Sumatra FAQ
- How many eggs do Sumatra chickens lay?
- A healthy Sumatra hen lays about 100–120 white eggs a year — roughly 2 a week, or 8–10 dozen over a year. Output drops during winter and the annual molt, and eases as a hen ages.
- What color eggs do Sumatras lay?
- Sumatras lay white eggs, small in size.
- How big do Sumatra chickens get?
- A Sumatra hen weighs roughly 3.5–4.5 lbs — a small bird — with roosters running a little heavier.
- Are Sumatras cold-hardy?
- Yes. The Sumatra is rated cold-hardy and rides out hard winters well, provided the coop stays dry and draft-free. Keep water from freezing and check combs and wattles for frostbite in a deep freeze.
- Are Sumatras good for beginners?
- The Sumatra is wild and independent and tends to suit keepers with a little experience more than absolute beginners.
- Do Sumatra hens go broody?
- Often. Sumatra hens are reliable setters and devoted mothers — ideal if you'd like to hatch chicks naturally, less so if you only want eggs.
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Keeping Sumatras?
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