show quality speckled sussex ??

[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.

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?

Lisa, the Male and female should have tail feather white tips on the feathers. For the U-V shape tail you would be able to get along with either as long as the tail feathers are open between the two rows of feathers. I think the small U looks better but that is just what I like.

 

[carolinagirl58]

This is a very interesting thread. And in spite of my 3 failed attempts at owning Speckled Sussex, I am determined to try again. One more time! lol! Math Ace, will you have any for sale later in the year? I am traveling down your way in august to pick up my Anatolian. I really want some decent SS and it seems that they are nearly impossible to get! This breed fascinates me and is so different from my other chickens.

 

[math ace]

Quote:
It does seem like really good - show quality - is hard to come by.

I ordered some CHICKS from a breeder in Texas earlier this year. Those chicks supposedly came form show quality stock.
Plus, I have hatched some SS from an ebay seller. These babies are around 3 months old.... I am going to get some help from Snowbird with my culling decisions after the Juvie molt around 5 months of age. Snowbird use to raise them and has a GREAT eye. He, also, does NOT SUGAR COAT anything he says... So, he will have no problem telling me to get rid of EVERYTHING I have if it is JUNK......

I am thinking out of the 30 - 40 chicks that I have running around, there will be a few decenet breeders.

OK so that being said, the flock should be of breeding age around August / September 2011.
Keep an eye on this thread and you will see my stock as we evaluate and decide who stays and who leaves....
I think it will be a GREAT experience for everyone who has or wants speckled sussex!

Just pm me when it gets closer to the time of heading my way.

 

[Orange Ribbon]

I have decided I want to get some good SS myself, but I'm not hearing of anything except hatchery stuff. When I do hear of a breeder someone comes along and says they are no good, so I'll be darned if I know what to do or who to go with. Might just get a donkey.

 

[math ace]

Quote:
I looked for 6 months.... and this is not a easy breed to find show quality in. A lot of ole timers that I spoke with said they got out of the SS because there wasn't enough interest in them.

I think that might be turning around

BUT now a lot of the good stock has been disbursed only God knows where.

I have spoke to a few who are breeding and showing..... but they have had flock issues and are not selling right now.

So, I am taking what I can find and it will be my little project for the next 5 years on so.... . I would think I could get something decent, really decent by then through some really careful breeding and culling....

The GOAL to this thread is to LEARN what we need to look for. That way when we spot some SS, we will know RIGHT AWAY if they are a step in the right direction.

I need to go back to the FIRST post in this thread and include the SOP for this breed. I'll work on that tonight!

 

[mrheinz77]

Don or anybody,
What should be worked on first, size or color? I guess what I am trying to say is: Is it easier to breed size into a well marked and otherwise correct bird or easier to breed markings/color into the correct size bird?
Thanks,
Jim

 

[punky rooster]

Size & type first, color second. As they say "build the barn before you paint it." It is easier to breed color to your line by getting a good colored male. Also "type defines the breed, color defines the variety." If you don't have size it is very difficult to get.

Math Ace; you look like you have a nice project going. Good luck!

 

[mrheinz77]

Thank you. That is what I thought but wanted to make sure.
Jim

 

[math ace]

Quote:
I am going to be keeping my eyes open for BOTH Size and Color when I start culling these birds..... I KNOW I probably won't find BOTH features in the same bird, BUT
I may find a FEW really good colored ones that are small in size and a few really big ones with poor coloring.

If I mix these two types.... maybe I will keep those genes alive.
I think it is HARD to find SIZE or COLOR if you don't have it to start with.

I think you can have more room to fix color with compensatory breeding than you do size. Either you are LARGE size or you are not.

I will have to see if we can get DON's or NY REDS or someone elses opinion on this.

 

[mrheinz77]

If I get any to hatch or I buy chicks, I am hoping to do selective crossing where I will cross larges together, good type together, and good color together. I will then switch these pairings up to create a diverse F1 generation. I hope to cross the best of the F1 hoping to bring at least two traits together so hopefully by F3 and F4 I will have something I like. I will also do back crossing. Am I way off track here?
Jim