The Sussex thread!

[Lelanae]

Many thanks..he is so beautiful!

 

[ragschickens]

So handsome! I love seeing other's CS. How old is he?

 

[honeyb711]

Clucky Chelsea

Digging Delilah

 

[rachelsflock]

So handsome! I love seeing other's CS. How old is he?

8 months and huge.

 

[SeneyMaker]

Aw, I don't think I can sell my problems and live with myself. No, we've got a small poultry farm that sells coronations within an hour of me, so they're not really that rare in southern michigan, just expensive.


*although I think they are all related.

Good call. Years ago I did research on chicken temperament. It can be environmental or genetic, but mostly genetic. I raised a ton of roosters and my kids had chicken chores. I absolutely could not have roosters spurring my kids.

To cull for temperament requires a focus on doing so. Firstly, establish a "one strike and you are out" policy. If you get hit, grab the rooster and put it down right there. If you find yourself with no males left, that means that your line was bad for temperament and you need to find stock with better temperament genes.

If you find that you have some roosters left after the "one strike" process, then you take the next step. Go into the coop at night while it is dark and carry a dimly lit flashlight that is pointed away from the birds, but provides enough light to see them. Put you index finger sideways under his beak and lightly flick his head up. If he bites hard, put him down. If he appears a little agitated, that is fine. If you go three generations doing this, your birds will be sweeties, including the males. Be cautioned, however, that you can go too far. If you cull the "flick" too hard, your males will eventually have less testosterone. In other words, if you flick them and they don't react at all, that may not be so good over the long haul. A bit agitated is fine, but no biters should be kept.

The flick test also works on hens. Yes, it is equally important to test them. Hens can bring human attack genes with them. Generally, hens do not attack humans, so the first process is not as applicable.

Within three generations you should see a remarkable difference in your flock. My Seney breed roosters were as gentle as puppies. Little kids used to drag them around like rag dolls. And these roosters were BIG!

One indication of too low testosterone is when young males do not mount hens and/or they let hens push them around. If you find this, then do not keep trying to breed with that rooster. Find the "showman" of the flock and use him instead. If you flock breed, that generally is of little concern because the showmen will have their genes proliferate anyways.

It is disappointing when people pass their bad genes on to others instead of accepting responsibility for them. It is good to see that you take responsibility for your flock. Good luck in the future.

RJ Seney

 

[LeeRoadPoultry]

Are there any breeders in wa state?

 

[3riverschick]

Nope, chickens are individuals and rooster character can vary. I'm only commenting because I waited a long, long time to get a sussex rooster of any kind, I wound up with a coronation cockerel like those, and after about a month he became an assassin bird and will be put down probably this weekend. Many are sweet. Some are not. It's often genetic and aggression follows family lines. Mine is sweet until he randomly decides to attack you, then for the rest of the day it's nonstop with the bruising and biting and trying to spar with your legs even through fences. Wish I could get my sussex fix taken care of because I have a hen that minus molting feather loss is quite a looker confirmation and marking wise, but there's no way that's happening up here without culling through hatchery stock. I hope you have better luck than I did!

I never had a mean Sussex. Mine were pure English strain light Sussex. Wonderful birds and the boys were perfect gentleman. Both to humans and their ladies. They were lovely birds. Line and inbred on a 3x APA Grand Champion stud cock. But the weather turned bitter here in the winter and the combs got frozen so I rehomed the flock with Karl in Blairsville, PA. I hope he shows them at Columbus next year. I think they can win.
Best,
Karen
( waiting on next years large fowl White Chanteclers)

 

[Leela NH]

I never had a mean Sussex. Mine were pure English strain light Sussex. Wonderful birds and the boys were perfect gentleman. Both to humans and their ladies. They were lovely birds. Line and inbred on a 3x APA Grand Champion stud cock. But the weather turned bitter here in the winter and the combs got frozen so I rehomed the flock with Karl in Blairsville, PA. I hope he shows them at Columbus next year. I think they can win.
Best,
Karen
( waiting on next years large fowl White Chanteclers)

I have never had a mean Speckled Sussex either. My Coronation hen is a different story!
My cockerels and cock birds have wonderful temperaments.
I hope your Lights get shown Karen. I would very much enjoy having Sussex well represented in Ohio and elsewhere. There were ZERO Sussex entered in LF or Bantam this year at Nationals. I am heading to Knoxville in a couple of weeks, will report what I see. I am not entering any of my stock until Congress in Jan in MA.

Leela
Kindred Hill Farm
Deering NH
LF Speckled Sussex

 

[3riverschick]

I have never had a mean Speckled Sussex either. My Coronation hen is a different story!
My cockerels and cock birds have wonderful temperaments.
I hope your Lights get shown Karen. I would very much enjoy having Sussex well represented in Ohio and elsewhere. There were ZERO Sussex entered in LF or Bantam this year at Nationals. I am heading to Knoxville in a couple of weeks, will report what I see. I am not entering any of my stock until Congress in Jan in MA.

Leela
Kindred Hill Farm
Deering NH
LF Speckled Sussex

 

[MeeMa Brown]

Mine born July 4th, 2015 continue healthy, happy, curious, and productive ladies. Wishing for more.
Question...they are barebacked from mean roo and with cold weather here do you have suggestions?