With head crest, beard, vulture hocks, feathered legs, five toes and snow-white plumage, Sultans have always been an ornamental breed. They were originally found strutting around the Sultan of Constantinople’s palace garden. All today’s Sultans are descended from a crate imported by Miss Elizabeth Watts of Hampstead in January 1854. They have never been numerous, but have a dedicated following.
General characteristics: male
General shape and carriage: Deep, but neat and compact, and very sprightly.
Type: Body rather long and very deep. Breast deep and prominent. Back short and straight. Wings large, long, and carried low. Tail long, broad, and carried open. Sickles very long and fine. Hangers numerous, long and fine. Coverts abundant and lengthy.
Head: Head medium size. Beak short and curved. Eye bright. Comb very small, consisting of two spikes only, almost hidden by crest. Face covered with thick muffling. Nostrils horny and large, rising above the curved line of the beak. Crest large, globular, and compact. Earlobes small and round. Beard very full, joining with the whiskers. Wattles very small, to be hardly perceptible.
Neck: Moderately short, slightly arched and carried well back.
Legs and feet: Thighs short, furnished with heavy vulture hocks to cover the joints. Shanks short, and well covered inside and out with feathers. Toes, five in number and of moderate length, completely covered with feather.
Plumage: Long, very abundant and fairly soft.
Female
With the exception of the comb, which is smaller and barely visible, the general characteristics are similar to those of the male, allowing for the natural sexual differences.
BANTAM
Sultan bantams should follow exactly the large fowl standard.
General characteristics: male
General shape and carriage: Deep, but neat and compact, and very sprightly.
Type: Body rather long and very deep. Breast deep and prominent. Back short and straight. Wings large, long, and carried low. Tail long, broad, and carried open. Sickles very long and fine. Hangers numerous, long and fine. Coverts abundant and lengthy.
Head: Head medium size. Beak short and curved. Eye bright. Comb very small, consisting of two spikes only, almost hidden by crest. Face covered with thick muffling. Nostrils horny and large, rising above the curved line of the beak. Crest large, globular, and compact. Earlobes small and round. Beard very full, joining with the whiskers. Wattles very small, to be hardly perceptible.
Neck: Moderately short, slightly arched and carried well back.
Legs and feet: Thighs short, furnished with heavy vulture hocks to cover the joints. Shanks short, and well covered inside and out with feathers. Toes, five in number and of moderate length, completely covered with feather.
Plumage: Long, very abundant and fairly soft.
Female
With the exception of the comb, which is smaller and barely visible, the general characteristics are similar to those of the male, allowing for the natural sexual differences.
BANTAM
Sultan bantams should follow exactly the large fowl standard.
Please contact the breed registrar for more information - Sultan@rarepoultrysociety.org.uk