show quality speckled sussex ??

[Howhardcanitbe]

Quote:
Pet Rock,

My first group from Mt. Healthy began laying (very sporadically) at 20 weeks (around August 1st). They gradually ramped up production for the next 6 weeks, and then after the middle of October they all but stopped. They really didn't ever take their job seriously. Adding apple cider vinegar to their water helped a bit. Switching roosters helped some too. I've recently put them in the coop so I could give them extra light. That's helping some too.

My second group, just two pullets from McMurray, are 28 weeks old. Weren't even thinking about laying until I put them in the coop with additional lights and now just one of them is starting to redden up. In contrast, my Dorkings from the same hatch date have just begun laying.

So from my observations POL will depend on what time of year they hatched and if they reach sexual maturity before the days get really short. 5 or 6 months minimum, possibly much longer. Is that normal for the breed? Haven't a clue. Just what I've experienced. It's been frustrating. My birds certainly aren't the victors of the egg trials that sellers of the breed like to trot out as illustrative of the productivity of the SS.

 

[PetRock]

Quote:
Pet Rock,

My first group from Mt. Healthy began laying (very sporadically) at 20 weeks (around August 1st). They gradually ramped up production for the next 6 weeks, and then after the middle of October they all but stopped. They really didn't every take their job seriously. Adding apple cider vinegar to their water helped a bit. Switching roosters, helped some too. I've recently put them in the coop so I could give them extra light. That's helping some too.

My second group, just two pullets from McMurray, are 28 weeks old. Weren't even thinking about laying until I put them in the coop with additional lights and now just one of them is starting to redden up. In contrast, my Dorkings from the same hatch date have just begun laying.

So from my observations POL will depend on what time of year they hatched and if they reach sexual maturity before the days get really short. 5 or 6 months minimum, possibly much longer. Is that normal for the breed? Haven't a clue. Just what I've experienced. It's been frustrating. My birds certainly aren't the victors of the egg trials that sellers of the breed like to trot out as illustrative of the productivity of the SS.

Thank you for the info! My SS trio are from McMurray, too, and are 30 weeks old. One of them just started squatting for me a couple of days ago. It will be interesting to see if they start laying or wait until spring. The good thing is that they are still growing and filling in nicely! Today is a beautiful day out here in the SF Bay area and I was all primed to get some new pics of them to post. But we have been putting new tile on our kitchen counter tops and my camera battery charger got placed somewhere "safe" by DH. He doesn't remember where the safe place is and I can't find it.

If it shows up this afternoon, I'll try to post some pics later this evening.

 

[math ace]

Quote:
I am having a hard time with the pics. It almost looks pics were taken of two different birds....

The tail angle in the first pic and the open tail in the third pic seem to go together. The first pic is blurry and I can't see the details great except to say that the tail angle looks good.

The tail angle is the second picture is super high and looks pinched. The fourth picture definitely looks pinched.

So, I am going by what howhardcanitbe said that the tail is not normally jacked up like the second photo. This is why I would like to see a nice NATURAL photo of her so that I can tell what is really real.

Where do I look for the MAIN ROW OF TAIL FEATHERS ? Are you refering to the row of solid black tail feathers in the second photo - - the one that I don't like? I think in that photo her tail looks like my hatchery leghorns.

What do you think about her coloring?

 

[stormylady]

I think that in the second picture her tail looks tall for her, I know thats not the right term. And I thought that all the tail feathers were suppose to be black tipped in white and they don't appear to be to me. I don't think that her tail looks pinched or tight in the picture of her fluffy butt.
I don't know what fantail means exactly? Could somebody tell me please?
Don said "what do you think about that little bit of fantail going on?"

In the very first picture, though I can't see all the details in her feathers. but just taking the outline into account she is what I would expect to see when looking a SS hen. In the second picture down not so much, it must be the angle.

 

[math ace]

Quote:
This has been my observation with all my breeds - - marans, delawares, and SS.
I have some 7 month old delawares that are just starting to lay.

I have some marans that were not great layers either. When it came time to set eggs, I refused to use any eggs from the hens who did not lay decently or laid thin shelled or light colored eggs.
If I have SS hens in the Spring that are significantly outperforming the other SS.... then it will effect whose eggs I set.

 

[Howhardcanitbe]

Okay, here she is again. Mt. Healthy #83 at 37 weeks. Outside in the sunshine. Still not happy about the camera and absolutely refused to pose for a frontal.

 

[snowbird]

Quote:
Alright I will give you my personal opinion on #83. I believe bred to the right male she would be a very good starter female to mate up. Her tail is very close to being pinched but that is a fault that can be worked with. I believe on the left wing secondarys she has some of the unwanted black checking. By using the right male she will produce young with the right amount of White over the entire body. The tail angle looks to be very good.


Under no circumstances would I breed any of the Sandhill SS. They have the color problem that would be a waste of time trying to improve

 

[Howhardcanitbe]

Quote:
Thanks Don, for your guidance. Can't tell you how much I appreciate you taking the time to share with those of us just getting started.

Rboin

 

[stormylady]

Hi Don, I was wondering if you could tell me what fantail is, in one of your post you asked Mathace what she thought of it on one of the pictures, I tried to google it, and got everything but. Thanks Sandy

 

[snowbird]

Quote:
Hi, when most think about fantail it will be the main tail feathers well spread apart, and you will need this to develop the nice open tail with a little fluff between the two rows of main tail. Just remember the tail can be pinched vertically and horizontally.