Sussex

I have only one Speckled Sussex hen, and she's my favorite bird out of the eleven chickens of eight different breeds that I have. My fondness for her isn't based on her good looks (she's good looking, but some of the others are cuter), but on her ultra friendly personality. She's six months old. I raised her from the time she was three days old. At first I called her my "wild woman." She did NOT NOT NOT like to be handled, and she scratched me every time I took her out of the brooder until I learned to hold her really firmly. Then suddenly - she became my friendliest bird. No scratching, no trying to get away. She is the first to come to me, loves to be scratched, petted, picked up, handled. She's becoming the entire family's favorite because of her outgoing personality. And she is talkative, like yours. Probably the most talkative of my eleven.

I have 3 SS in our mixed flock and they are beautiful girls. 2 of the 3 are friendly and enjoy being petted (although not held). They do seem to be at the bottom of the pecking order but have learned to keep their distance from the other birds so they get along ok. I really like them and would always make room in a flock for them.

I love my Speckled Sussex. My hens have singled me out as their personal property and just make me happy. Some people call them friendly, but in truth, they are committed and expert cadgers. I have both hatchery and Heritage SS, and they seem like different breeds, as different as American is from British. My hatchery cock, though a darling boy as a chick and young cockerel, became aggressive and murderous as he got older, towards both me and uncooperative hens alike. Then he became soup. My Heritage SS cock takes care of his hens properly and comports himself with dignity and good manners around people. SS: in your face - or by your side? A matter of perspective.

Wish I could find Heritage around here...may have to replace my rooster if he doesn't chill out soon.

Swedish Flower, wish I could give you one of my extra Cocks. I read not too long ago, while researching behavior genetics in chickens, that chickens inherit their behavior traits from their mother. So while you think you will be getting rid of the aggression by replacing the Roo, it is better, for breeding, if you replace the hen, too. It is ironic that the forward, assertive people oriented behavior I so adore in my hatchery hens translates into human aggression for the Roo. My heritage hens are not nearly so fearless and forward as my hatchery hens (but they are sweet, nonetheless). Funny.

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!

The SS are some of my favorites in our mixed flock too. Beautiful to look at and sweet natured birds.

yeah I had a male SS and I loved him more then anything I completely agree with you

The favorite all-round breed in my mixed flock!

What color and size were her first eggs. I have a mixed flock and want to distinguish who's eggs come from whom. Photos appreciated

Their first eggs were small and round--more of a tannish-brown color. They were similar to a golf ball, only slightly oval. Does that help?

I have a number of SS AND I have bred and am breeding them. My first birds were from a hatchery, and they were all the good things people have reported with exception of being poor egg layers. The poorest egg layer turned out to be a wonderful little boy, and before I could shoot a rabbit, we had several more from the Incubator. The wonderful little boy had since turned into the monster from the Lagoon and ended up in a stew pot, as did his wonderful little offspring males. The little hen sibling was gorgeous with a very friendly "kiss me" personality. I liked these birds and became interested in breeding them, more to size and type at first, and I made a cross country trip to purchase a breeder's Heritage breeding pen. These birds were definitely SS and quite beautiful. AND they were quite different. For one thing, the cock was a gentleman, not a raging homi-gallocidal maniac. The girls were very docile, but somewhat shy - not at all like my hatchery girls - and they were not the vigorous eager to explore foragers I had expected. They didn't lay for months. All that said, you should know that, even in their third year now, they are laying well. They are beautiful, easily managed hens, and they do go broody. Their offspring hens lay VERY well, and the Cocks, though slow to mature, are capable of reaching some size and are of good temperament. They are a challenge to breed to SOP. My opinion about these birds says that they can vary a lot according to their heritage line or strain. Temperament counts in my breeding program, and it is said to come from the Moms. If you choose to breed these birds - and you want Cocks with decent temperaments - choose carefully among your hens; the brightest, most confident, eager and "friendly" hen may not produce the best Cocks. Voice of experience and word to the wise.

i have to agree i have a speckled sussex my wife named her pudding cos thats what
she looks like she is a great pet i have found the two other sussex one light and a silver
are just the same the silver sits on my shoulder when i am cleaning their house out
all in all a very good breed

I may have a speckled sussex, but im not actually sure!. she looks like a Chantecler to me, with a speckled face.

Yes, I agree that the Roos can be aggressive. I use Beekissed's switch technique to teach them a little respect, and it works without anybody getting hurt.

I have a nice Heritage pair of SS which I'm hoping will give me some eggs for hatching soon. The hen is VERY mild mannered, but this morning, when my two hatchery SS hens got into her coop for treats, they got a great big "what for." My three hatchery SS are assertive feeders, possibly even obnoxious, but the heritage hens are much better mannered. Also, my Heritage SS lay bigger and more eggs and can easily go broody. My hatchery SS have never shown an inclination to sit eggs in the three years I've had them, and I've been impressed by neither the number nor size of their eggs. The hens are all personable, if that makes a difference, but, for the most part, SS Roos have been the bane of my existence.

I recently purchased a 3 month old SS pullet baby, who is extra Speckly on her front half, she is the most darling little girl! She is technically my dads bird (He picked her out for MY bday XD) She is very curious, and is very pretty, she gets along well with the 3 month old EE that I got for My birthday, they are like two apples from the same branch. I have a quick Question though, what color eggs to SS's lay?

My SS hens - both the hatchery and the Heritage - lay a very light beige to a creamy tan egg; the hatchery strain's are about medium in size, and the Heritage hens' are a size larger. I have two lines of Heritage Light Sussex as well; they have basically the same size and color as eggs as the Heritage SS, only the the color of one's strain's eggs are slightly pinkish-beige. All this is to say, I think the color can vary a bit according to the strain. Your SS should have white legs and lay eggs in this color range.