Sultan Chicken Breed Guide: Characteristics, Temperament, & More

Last Updated on May 17, 2021 by Pauline G. Carter

Sultan chickens belong to the ornamental group of chicken breeds, the crested chicken. So, they widely occupied the lawns of the Ottoman sultanate for their decorative appearance. In contrast, the west produced them for a poultry fancy, the competitive showing.

But, they are not so commonly found in the west. They are endangered species of fowls and are on the “Critical list” of the Livestock Conservancy. Once, they were very popular as fine table chickens, but now, people rarely eat them due to their scarcity. So, they find their use in exhibitions, not eating.

Sultan Chicken Breed Profile

History Of The Sultan Chicken

Sultan chicken breed originated in Turkey. In Turkey, these chickens were called “SeraiTaook,” meaning “the fowls of Sultan.” The Sultan chicken first arrived in the UK in 1854 and 1867 in America. In 1874, the Standard of Perfection of the American Poultry Association officially recognized this chicken breed.

Sultan Chicken Characteristics

Chickens come in a variety of breeds. All of these breeds have some unique features that other species do not have. A complete understanding of these characteristics is helpful and recommended if you plan to buy them. Sultan chicken has the following outstanding characteristics that make it unique from the rest.

• These chickens are beautiful, small, and fully feathered birds.
• They have a lovely appearance with a unique plumage. This feature makes the Sultan chickens an attractive pet choice.
• The decorative plumage of the Sultan chicken breed includes; puffy, large crests, beards, long tails, and dense foot feathers.
• Their combs are smaller. These are V-shaped and have a bright red color. The type of their comb is a duplex.
• Sultan chickens have bright red and small in size earlobes and wattles.
• This bread comes in three colors; blue, white, and black. However, the white-colored breed is well known and most popular.
• These chickens lay medium-sized eggs which have white color.
• Sultan chickens are not friendly with cold surroundings and do well in hot environments.
• This chicken breed has five toes.

The characters stated above to make this chicken breed stand out from other species out there.

Weight of Sultan chickens

The weight of the Sultan chicken breed is not much because of their smaller size. The weight of a standard male Sultan is 6Ib / 2.75 kg. Whereas the weight of a bantam male Sultan is about 26 oz. / 740 g. In the case of females, the estimated weight of a standard chicken is 4 Ib. / 1.8 kg. Whereas the weight of a bantam female Sultan is about 22 oz. / 625 g.

Sultan Chicken Behavior/ Temperament

Sultan chicken is a very friendly, docile, and calm bird. Both females and males are so easy to handle and tame. So, these chickens are a good choice as backyard fancy birds and pets. These birds are not so keen on foraging, so they do well in confined spaces.

They need dry bedding and special care to protect their dense feathering, mainly at their feet. Sultan hens do not usually go broody and are not among the ones who are good at laying eggs. Also, the chickens are slow in growth and take a much longer time to develop. Sultan chickens are good at flying, so the caretakers must build fences to keep them confined.

Should You Go for Sultan Chicken Farming?

Sultan chicken breed farming is beneficial and popular in its area of origin. Also, in some other parts of the world, it is commonly raised. As the breed is used for exhibition ornamental purposes, starting commercial farming is a very profitable business. Also, the exhibition birds or pets typically cost relatively high prices; they make a good business choice.

• For the commercial farming of the Sultan chicken breed, you should first buy healthy and active chickens.
• Then you should arrange the house for them. It will help them stay healthy and secure. The place must have a proper ventilation system. Also, it should be easy to clean.
• Proper feeding is the next vital consideration in raising Sultan chickens. Feed nutritious and healthy food. It will reduce the chances of them catching the diseases.
• Breeding multiplies the number of chickens, so you should pay heed to this step. One healthy rooster is usually enough for breeding about ten hens.
• You should ensure proper care for these birds. Ensure timely vaccination and keep good touch with a vet for their monitoring.
• Lastly, imply good marketing tactics to make the most of your business.

Is Sultan Chicken The Right Choice For You?

Sultan chickens are so rare, so people usually do not use them for eating. They raise them as backyard fancy birds and pets. So, if you are looking for the most loving and friendly pets, Sultan chickens are the best ones for you.

Also, the birds are quiet and do not crow/cluck much. So, if noise is what keeps you away from owning a pet, go for this breed. They make an excellent pet choice because they bear the confinement so well.

One drawback of these birds is that some more active breeds might bully them if mixed with other flocks. The reason behind this bullying lies in their small size and rare breeding. So, before going for Sultan chickens, you should analyze their pros and cons thoroughly.

Conclusion

The idea of chickens as pets might sound unfamiliar to you. As you know, chickens are eagerly eaten worldwide and do not make their way as pets. But, to your surprise, Sultans are trendy pets due to their:

• Beautiful appearance
• Calm behavior
• Scarcity
• Easy confinement
• Heat tolerance

So, unlike many other chicken breeds, Sultan makes the most friendly and loving pets and fancy backyard birds. So, all these features make the Sultan chicken breed stand out from the rest of the typical domesticated chickens. You can buy these fowls for the ornament of your backyard.

Also, you can raise them to sell as they are highly in demand for their scarcity. So, you can get the aesthetic benefits or the financial advantages from this unique chicken breed; the choice is all yours!