- May 19, 2009
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I really wish we had some SS experts on this thread.... I don't see snowbird (Don) on BYC much any more....
I do not consider myself an expert... I am just learning like the rest of the posters on this thread.
The thing that strikes me the most is the color of these SS.... The color is so dark that is reminds me of Walnut.
I've had SS breeders tell me that the really good SS have very distinctive coloring. I've had other folks (Judges) tell me that the color does not translate into photos well. Still, I've had other folks with computer experience tell me that each monitor will distort the color differently. I say all this because until I see a really good SS in PERSON, I don't truly know what "Mahogany" color we are looking for! I've been to several shows and have yet to see a REALLY GOOD example of an SS. That is not my personal opinion. I am just going by what won awards and what didn't.
Karen, you seem to know a bit about the SS.... What do you think about the color of these SS.... Is this the Mahogany that we are looking for or is it a little too dark with chocolate undertones as opposed to having red undertones OR does it really matter at all?
Cowchick11.....What kind of lighting were you using when you took these photos? Natural lighting or with a flash.... Are the photos a good representation of their true color?
Hi,
The bird in the upper photo has way too much black in the feathers. The feathers should be mahogany with a thin band of black separating the white tip from the mahogany. The band of black should be thin. The three colors should be sharp and distinct from one another. None of them bleeding into any of the othe colors. If you have a Barnes and Noble near you, there is a book in the woodworking section called "Wood". It's a pictorial album of every species of wood done in true color for woodwrkers. Look up "Mahogany" to see what we are striving for.
A Red Sussex is a Speckled Sussex without the white tipping. If you can find a fine Red Sussex cock of proper coloring, Mate him to your girls so they won't be so gay. Gay= too much white on the body. Should also help rid the extra black to an extent. Then mate the daughters from that breeding to a properly colored Large Fowl Speckled Sussex cock from Overton, Walt Reichart or AlBritton.
That should solve a lot of problems. Straighten out the color issues and do some major repairs to body type. If you use cocks from Overton, Reichart or Albritton, you are assured your boy came from a hen of proper breed type and coloring. ( because these lines have been linebred for uniformity). This is important because the cock passes on a notable number of characteristics he gets from his dam. Using Red Sussex with your Speckled Sussex will also keep you in the eWh locus. This will save a lot of winnowing out color problems due to mixing locuses. The folks mxing Silver and Light Sussex have this problem because Silver is Birchen locus and Light is eWh locus. Looks like a good cross on the outside, but sets up all kinds of heterozygous problems when they are crossesd.
Best,
Karen
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I have 8 eggs in the bator and hoping they all hatch.
