Light Sussex Thread!!!

[Fancychooklady]

It's all very well to tell us that they are great, but what makes them great??????????
Laying, brooding, eating, temperament, etc etc..I would like to know more about how many eggs they lay and are they good brooders??

Thanks

The light Sussex are a dual purpose bird, that lay in excess of 200 eggs a year. I haven't found them to be habitual brooders, but once they decide to sit, they do it well. They are good mums and of the several roos I have had I have never had an aggressive one. They are lovely birds to own.

 

[mumabokbok]

Ok can I have some help please?? Now I know Mr Boofhead on the right is a rooster and I think I can pick one or 2 hens BUT


this one......


and these 2 have me and my husband stumped.


They are 18-21 weeks old but the white around the black is making me think rooster, although I think it maybe the colouring that is making the feathers look pointy.
So confused, this chicken sexing thing is hard, we can stand there for hours and manage to agree on one.

Any help is much appreciated, I can also get more pics if that helps.

 

[Johnn]

Could someone please post a pic of what the average sized LS should look like at 18 weeks please?

 

[3riverschick]

Maybe ask Emily Robertson at TruNorth Heritage Hatchery in Vancouver, British Columbia. .
http://truenorthfarm.ca/ " A co-op actually, between 4 breeders of heritage chickens. "
She is using population genetics to improve the utility aspects of the Light Sussex. She monitors their
progress as they grow. A very nice lady. People who buy her birds also win in the ring.
Best Regards,
Karen

 

[Johnn]

 

[suebgbr]

Quote:
I think the top one is a boy as I think I see saddle feathers, the one on the left a boy and the one on the right a girl. What did you and your hubby decide they were?

 

[mumabokbok]

Quote:
Thanks for taking the time to look suebgbr.

I'm with you that the top is a rooster, so of the 7, I know we have 1 definite Roo, plus the pic up top and five pullets. My husband is certain we have managed to get 6 pullets and just one Rooster. Aaaarrrrrgggghhh!!!

 

[suebgbr]

You know due to the Hatching Law it will be 6 roosters and 1 pullet!

 

[suebgbr]

I was looking at wing length and shape of head for the pic of the 2. That is why I am swaying towards roo on left and pullet on right. It could just be the angle of the photo though

 

[3riverschick]

There are a bunch strains and mixtures of strains of Light Sussex in the US.

1. Dinger line, the old American line. Considered a bit inbred and smaller than usual. No website
2. Bradshaw line. The Aussie line imported by Greenfire arms. Considered over-height and too fluffy by APA Standard.
Usually DQ for excessive fluffiness at APA shows. greenfirefarms.com/
3. Ron Presley line. Developed by Ron. See HPBAA for details on 1-5.
4. Ron Presley, Bradshaw, Dinger, Grisham crosses. Various combination of 2 or three of these lines and strains to compensate for faults and to combine virtues in the various three lines.
5. Grisham is mentioned as a strain, but, currently, I only see it mentioned when already combined with Dinger. HBPAA has more info on Grisham..
Canadian and English strains in the US:
6. Waltz's Ark in Colorado ( www.naturalark.com/sussex.html ) has strain of pure Canadian strain of Light Sussex; a flock of Greenfire Light Sussex. And strain of Canadian/Greenfire crosses. He keeps the three flocks separate.
7. Lynnrae Troples in NW PA, USA has at least one hen of Dinkle , A Canadian strain she brought down to combine with Marans to make a Columbian Marans. See HBPAA for details.
8. Walt Boese pure English strain Light Sussex, MT. ( Facebook page only ) Imported thru Canada years ago. Walt shows and wins nicely in APA shows with his pure English Light Sussex. He has show quality stock and let me obtain some last Dec. Not the place to go for stock to cross with other strains and lines.
9. Read more about strains at the parent Club website, American Sussex Association: www.americansussexbreeders.webs.com/
And at the Heritage Poultry Breeders Association of America website: www.hpbaa.com/Sussex_History.html

Best Regards,
Karen
Waterford English Light Sussex
PA, USA