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Sussex

The Sussex was developed in Sussex County, England over 100 years ago. It was famous...
Overview Reviews (105) Gallery
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General Information

Breed Purpose
Dual Purpose
Comb
Single
Broodiness
Frequent
Climate Tolerance
All Climates
Egg Productivity
High
Egg Size
Large
Egg Color
Brown tinted
Breed Colors/Varieties
Speckled and Light
Breed Size
Large Fowl
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The Sussex is a dual purpose breed that originated in England around the time of the Roman conquest of Britain in AD 43, making them one of the oldest known breeds. Today they are a popular breed for show exhibitions as well as a garden breed.

The Sussex is an alert, docile breed that can adapt to any surroundings. They are comfortable in both free range or confined spaces and in the presence of humans, although they will mate and breed better in larger spaces. The breed frequently goes broody in the warmer months. They are good foragers and are generally vigorous and hardy as a garden fowl.

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Sussex egg

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Sussex chicks

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Sussex hen

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Sussex rooster

For more information on this breed and their owners' and breeders' experiences with them, see our breed discussion here: https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/chicken-breed-focus-sussex.1154699/
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Latest reviews

triciayoung
Love My Speckled Sussex Chickens
Pros: Calm
Friendly
Nice
Beautiful
Cons: Too nice get bullied
Loud (if this is a problem)
I have a flock of 11. I was supposed to have 3-speckled Sussex hens, but 2 ended up being roosters. All three are very calm, extremely friendly, and easy to care for. My hen, Lucy, is too nice and ends up being low on the pecking order scale, only above the 3- Silkies. She is a good egg producer and started laying at 20-weeks.
Purchase Price
$5.00
Purchase Date
06/01/2022

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SesameRoad
Speckled Sussex pullet...
Pros: Very pretty plumage
Cons: loud, food crazed, not friendly, skittish
Got her with a few others at Coastal farm store as chicks. Never was friendly. Lays every 2 days or so. Avoids me unless there are treats. Got for the plumage, but just disappointed in the breed, at least the quality from Coastal farm.
Won't be purchasing again unfortunately.
Purchase Price
$4
Purchase Date
August 8nd 2021
SnowyJball
Love These birds!
Pros: They are super beautiful birds
Very cuddly to pick up and like to be held
They LOVE attention and they are very "sticky" and love to follow you around.
They are amazing mothers
they are very soft and gentle when hand fed.
they are not aggressive at all.
Cons: they can be slightly noisy when they are young (at around 10 months) females sometimes crow or cluck really loudly, but it stops once they have fully developed/ adults.
They lay quite small eggs, but they are pink and very pretty
They go broody A LOT (but that might be a pro for you :D)
I got one of these beautiful birds as a pet on my birthday a few years ago. Such a lovely bird! She loves attention and loves being pet or hand-fed. She would even fly outside my window, and would always wait for me to open the window to pet her and carry her back into her coop. every time I came home before dark, I would always go to the coop and hand feed her some corn, She is so soft and gentle. The trust and bond I have between me and my light Sussex, Snowball is stronger than titanium. I love her very much. Overall, the light Sussex is an extremely friendly bird, they are normally at the top of the pecking order because of their large size, but they rarely peck other chickens. They are perfect for if you want to raise them as pets.

Warning: I got my light Sussex chickens from a very good breeder, so the prices would most likely be lower in other places.

Snowball waiting downstairs.PNG snowball and baby.PNG
Purchase Price
adults: $75, day olds: $12.50
Purchase Date
2/1/2020, 20/11/2021
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Comments

M
What an awesome breed for this beginner. The two Speckled Sussex are now 8 months old. They are such good hens, having little molt in fall and only a couple weeks rest from laying in January during the cold snap. JACKIE and GRACE are second of pecking order after the big heritage Rhode Island Reds. They forage very nicelly and are best friends, staying close in th yard and checkkng on each other at dusk when heading back to the coop. A verry enjoyable breed!
 
duluthralphie
I can only pick up two breeds of the birds I raise. The SS and the Cx's. These girls are sweethearts, but the rooster gets jealous easy.
 
sbhkma
My experience has been quite the opposite. My 2 SS LOVE to be held and petted. One of them (she has been featured in the "chicken pic of the week" here) actually jumps out of the coop at night when I go to lock them up and then waits for me to pick her up, pet and cuddle her and then put her back "in bed". They come running (SO funny to watch) when I call them and are amazingly reliable layers. The eggs are smaller than my cuckoo marans, but they're 3 1/2 years old and laying 5 eggs a week. If you have kids and want pet chickens, this is a wonderful breed.
 
coop410silkies
I have a number of SS and they fit the profile you've described. They are a hardy, adaptable breed that can take the heat and the cold. I am trying to raise a few. Much of the type, size, and vigor of this breed has been lost over the years, and it is not easy to find stock that meets its SOP. Every single one of all the roosters I have raised has been fierce, human and hen aggressive, and difficult to manage - not of just one line, but of at least three separate lines. They are my only complaint about this breed.
 
SuQMar
I totally love them too. They were the second breed I tried. They were given to me by friends who got me started in chickens and they gave them up because they were too friendly. They love their chickens but they are pet pets for them. They fit here perfectly. they supervise everything I do talking all the time. They are great with my kids (4 & 7). Great layers.I only have 2 hens but would love to find a friendly (or at least good tempered)roo.
 
vachick15
I got my two speckled sussexes from the local feed store, and they're so friendly and sweet. What do you mean by crazy? Because my birds are pretty calm.
 
S
Can anyone tell me if they've ordered from Cackle Hatchery, especially any Speckled Sussex, Rhode Island Reds, Golden Comets, Buff Orpingtons, White Rocks, Barred Rocks, Wyandottes, or Easter Eggers? I got a batch of Black Australorps from Chickens from Backyards (which has great service) that are extremely skiddish and unfriendly. Also, if I get any new breeds again, I want to try to make sure that are somewhat friendly, fairly docile and/or at least will fit well in a mixed flock without much aggression (allowing for a normal pecking order of course) and be easy to handle.
 
chicknmania
We've had chickens for eleven years and have never, ever, had a hen go broody outside the barn, but one of our SS pullets is broody and she has her nest hidden somewhere in our woods. :barnieI can't find it anywhere! And she is very secretive so hard to follow. We are worried about her and potential chicks, and it's so annoying! Other than that, they are sweet tempered, friendly and curious birds, and very pretty.
 
rlhagan56
I got 10 Speckled Sussex from Cackle Hatchery and not only are they beautiful, but they are friendly, calm, curious, and excellent layers! Mine started laying at 19 weeks and still laying large light brown eggs. This has become my favorite breed overall!
 
chicklette49
My hens are stunning with a hint of teal in their brown and white speckles. I have three and they have very different personalities. One is docile all the time and the other two are a little bossy and hang with the "in crowd". My girls have three distinctive clicks. The leaders, the followers and the get out of the way I am not competing with you I'll take what I can get girls left in the "They are picking on me group". :bow
 
chickenmeadow
silkiecuddles said:
I raised my SS rooster with his hens from chicks (got them at Meyer), but lately he's become more aggressive, towards me and the other roosters. Hopefully he won't turn on me.
My SS hens are very good at going way into the woods where they can't hear me at suppertime. Freaks me out every time. They are all so friendly I have to chase them off the porch!
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When ever I had a rooster hit that "cocky" age & challenge me, I took a farmers advice. Get calm & brave, wear a sweatshirt jacket (protect from scratches), swiftly pick roo up, hold close to your body (under 1 arm)/away from face/avoid the flapping, walk around in front of the hens for 5 min., put him gently down. He will be embarrassed in front of his gals, won't want that to happen again & will stay away. It worked every time for me, 1 roo needed 2 walks, was fine after that.
 
chickenmeadow
Just ordered my first 3 Speckled Sussex pullet chicks (Ideal hatchery) to add to my Blk Australorp & Ameraucana flock that prove to be a good combo for year-round laying here in Oregon. Have had my eye on this breed for a while because of their beauty & general traits am really looking forward to watching them develop & lay. Mine all just live their protected lives out in the mountains here.

Does anyone have an understanding of hatchery vs heritage SS purchases that could produce more obnoxious roos when they mature? Are the hatchery hens chosen as more aggressive for breeding purposes? There have been many comments about their SS roos being more aggressive.
 
chickenmeadow
Off to a great start! Put 3 SS pullets in my brooder last night; my hubby & I both agree that they are the calmest chicks that we've ever had in the brooder. They just look at us & don't run. Best wishes.
 

Item information

Category
Chicken Breeds
Added by
bilbothebanty
Views
89,913
Watchers
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Comments
126
Reviews
105
Last update
Rating
4.53 star(s) 108 ratings

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