show quality speckled sussex ??

[math ace]

Quote:
Lisa, look at the second wing spread and you will see the primary feathers are black and all should have the white tip, looks like three out of five do. Now the secondary feathers do not have enough white edging or white tip.

BUNS - - - Post some pictures of your birds wings spread. . .

Let's see if your hens have more speckles where they should be. . . . on the wing tips . . .

 

[X2Farm]

Quote:
Would it be possible to get another picture of the left side of the comb. He appears to have a side sprig. I would not breed to this male or the other one with the 90* tail unless you just want speckled chickens to run the yard.

Nope, no sprigs. He got pummeled by my other roo and both thier combs got mangled...

As for the birds.. they're what I have to work with, so while I appreciate your bluntness... I've got these, won't be getting anything else, frankly, I just can't afford it.

As for the hens, they were from a "breeder" several generations removed from whatever stock he started with. So I don't know the true history of where the girls parentage are from nor what they looked like, so he could have started with hatchery stock.

As for critiques, good points, bad points.. I'd like to hear em, if you don't mind.... IF nothing else, it helps folks learn.

 

[math ace]

The one breeder that I have been communicating with . . . The breeder who is still doing SS and produces show quality ss . . .

He told me that the number one issue with hatchery SS is SIZE . . . They are not as big as they should be.

Don, could you compare a speckled sussex to another bird - - Size wise? That way, I can visualize HOW BIG they should be.

For example, should they be smaller than a BCM and larger than ? ? ?

I've seen the cornation sussex, but I know the speckled sussex are suppose to be the smallest of the sussex, but not as small as the hatchery birds are.

 

[math ace]

Thanks X2Farm for hanging in with us. .. .

and be willing to let us use your birds as a learning tool.

My older girls are hatchery stock and I adore them. Most of what I found out on the market from "breeders" originated from the hatcheries.
If that is most of what is out there, then that is what we all have to start with.

HONESTLY, I had ZERO luck finding people with KNOWLEDGE about the standard to help me evaulate birds for future purchases.. .
I could find very few people who even kept their SS for anytime - - like 5 years or more.

I contact MANY MANY MANY judges looking for recommendations on good SS and was told over and over that they haven't seen really good SS at shows in a very long time.

So like you . . . . What I have is what I am going to work with UNTIL I find better. HOWEVER, I won't know what BETTER is until I figure out what it should look like . .

So, BRING IT ON Don . . . Teach us something else. . . What about x2Farm's roo - - What is it you don't like and make it simple ( for me please).

 

[NonnasBabies]

WOW, I'm learning SO much from this thread!! I've just hatched out 3 clutches from 3 different breeders. I have 10, 7 1/2, & 4 1/2 week olds! It will be a continous learning experience with this breed trying to get the best birds I can get!!

Thanks for the great info so far!!

 

[math ace]

SNOWBIRD,

I have a thought for you . . . . ..

Since there is a real void in the SS world for show quality SS. ... .

AND The hatchery ss tend to lack size and color. . . . .. .


Would it be potentially helpful to . . ..
Breed a red sussex roo to our hatchery ss ? ? ?

Would this improve the mahagonay coloring and pehaps size of the ss F1 or F2 generations ? ?
What would be the downside of doing this ? ?

 

[snowbird]

Quote:
Lisa, size wise the Sussex are on average about 1# heavier than the Marans. The standard for the Sussex covers all varieties, there should be no difference. Best way to start trying to increase the weight on the Sussex is use breeders that have a wide and long back and also wide chest. These are things the commercial Speckled are lacking .

 

[math ace]

Don,

I found this OLD auction for a SS rooster. .. . .

It sounds like it was a hatchery ss rooster, but many were saying that he looked nice . . ..

What do you think ? ? ? Is this what I should be looking for ? ?

https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=315189

 

[snowbird]

Quote:
Lisa, no white in the tail feather tips, short back, it would be nice if we could see the wing spread but too late for that. Color wise not real bad but still a hatchery SS.

 

[math ace]

Quote:
Lisa, no white in the tail feather tips, short back, it would be nice if we could see the wing spread but too late for that. Color wise not real bad but still a hatchery SS.

So, Do I want to see white in the tail feather tips on a SS rooster?

I was looking at my pullets' rears today and wondering which do I want to see in SS hens - - A " V " or an " U ". What do you thinik is better / correct form?