The Sussex thread!

[riverrockfamilyfarm]

So I have a question,

Can anyone tell me in Red Sussex are the roosters suppose to have black hackles around their necks or are they suppose to be just red with a black tail. I have hatched Red Sussex eggs from several sources and there is a huge difference in the roosters. I need a little more infor. before I pick my Breeding stock.

As I read in the 2010 SOP it says that the neck should be lustrous mahogany red. Front of neck rich mahogany red. So I am assuming no black on neck. This is frustration because most of the eggs that I hatched the rooster have black hackles. hmmmmmm

Thanks Suzie

 

[speedy2020]

With all the Sussex, which one growth fastest and biggest?

 

[riverrockfamilyfarm]

They should all be about the same. Here in the US it seems that the Light, Coronation and Silver are bigger. I think this is for 2 reasons, 1. in the UK large fowl seems to mean LARGE. 2. They are more interested in SOP. I think that the Speckled are smaller because they have been in the hatchery system to long. There are some nice Specked Sussex out there but you will need to find a breeder that is interested in producing nice big birds.

Suzie

 

[math ace]

Quote:
Good Question Suzie!

Maybe 3riverschick will be able to help us out on this....

Riverrockfamilyfarm - - could you share what sources you have found selling the Red Sussex?

 

[math ace]

Riverrockfamilyfarm - -

Please, would you pretty PLEASE, post a pic of each bird with who it came from so that we could see a sample of each breeder's stock? ? ?

 

[steffpeck]

Quote:
Could you tell us the specific purpose for the different colors? this is very interesting. The new fad for (DESINGER DOGS) just makes me mad when I think of all the yrs and yrs that went into keeping the lines pure thru wars and famine and now they are doing this on purpose..

~another Karen

Steffpeck,
The practice of crossing silvers and lights or lights and coronation is something that is very frequent occurrence in the US. Just look on any of the poultry auction sites, you will see splits up for auction all the time.

As I understand it here is a breeding chart for the way sussex are crossed.

Coronation X Coronation = 100% Coronation
Coronation X Split(Light/Coronation) = 50 % Coronation, 50% Split
Coronation X Light = 100% Split
Split X Light = 25% Split, 50% Light, 25% Coronation

Silver to Silver = 100% Silver ( I have seen Light chicks come out of Silver colored Split birds)
Silver to Light = 100% Split
Silver to Split = 50% Silver, 50% Split
Split to Split = 25% Silver, 50% Split, 25% Light

I have never heard of crossing Coronation and Silvers.

I live about an hour from you and it looks like I am going to have some extra silver hens and I now have some extra light roosters. So email me and I will try to help you out.

Riverrockfamilyfarm - THANK YOU so much!! I will e-mail you.

 

[mrs_ed]

I have 7 speckled sussex from Gary farm that are 2 weeks old, how soon are you generally able to tell the difference between pullet or roo?

 

[mrheinz77]

Quote:
On the ASA's website it states that the red will have black in the hackles. The pictures on the site also shows black. I hope this helps.
Jim

 

[HallFamilyFarm]

Quote:
What they have and what they are suppose to have can be different. If the SOP states no black then you should breed towrds the SOP.

 

[RustyHen]

Quote:
with my SS the males were very slow to feather out thier backs and tails, pullets had tails growing from the first.