Light sussex

[hunter1hall]

Is anyone breeding or raising these. Im about to drop a big shiny dime on a trio and wanted to know how many people have these or want them. I am trying to start a breeding flock. Im also curious if anyone will want some in the future.

 

[Germaine_11.20]

Yes, I have some of these. I just hatched out three yesterday and I also bought a trio.

I have never had any because it wasn't easy due to restrictions. But everything I have read on them say that they are great!
Lots of eggs, big meaties, quick feathering.

I think they are going to be a great addition to my flock. And they are pretty too.

 

[Krys109uk]

Not sure I'd describe Light Sussex a quick feathering breed. Good examples of the breed ought to be K which I think is called "late feathering"

I've had all sorts of Light Sussex back in UK where they are one of the most common breeds. They are generally good layers. The nicer Light Sussex are big meaty birds but many, usually (incorrectly) labeled as "utility", are small & not as typey. I suppose it is the same difference as reasonable examples of a breed & hatchery birds.


As Light Sussex (LS) in US are pretty uncommon there are not many to choose between. Of the LS I've seen in US, the only typey looking examples of the breed were being sold by a chap in Florida; I think, had imported them from Australia. These LS have been sold heavily throughout USA & will probably be readily available next year.

There might be other nice Light Sussex in US but, IMO, the other Light Sussex I've seen in US have been very much what are usually described, in Britain, as "utility" . One might compare this difference to the difference between reasonable examples of a breed & birds one might, often, get from a hatchery.

 

[Germaine_11.20]

Oh sorry, I thought I had read that they were quick feathering.

Per Victoria Roberts book "Poultry for anyone" it reads:

"Utility aspects: An extremely good layer in the light and white varieties, the other colours not as good. Any of the colours will produce fine carcases. The eggs are large and cream to light brown in colour, equalling the Rhode Island Red in numbers per year. The chicks are strong and mature quite quickly for a heavy breed. The speckled are the slowest maturing and the most likely to go broody, being large enough to cover other eggs such as geese with ease."

 

[JewellFarm]

Quote:
I just hatched out two, so I am obviously in need/want of some more. Let me know when you start getting some eggs.

 

[millebantam]

Not to hijack the thread, but since we're discussing Sussex here, how rare are Silver Sussex in the US? I have a friend that managed to get two pairs of them a while back. He had a fox kill both the hens and now he is left with 2 spectacular Silver Sussex roos. He lost contact with the original breeder of these and can't find any more hens.

 

[Goose and Fig]

I don't know about silver sussex, but it's Greenfire Farms in FL that was the importer for many of the light & coronation, & other sussex we are seeing now. They got them from Australia, and they are NOT cheap!

 

[Krys109uk]

Millebantam, I think the chap in Florida also had some silver Sussex. If your friend had is from elsewhere they could be very helpful for new blood. I've not seen Silver Sussex elsewhere in US.

Rustyswoman, Light Sussex are probably the most commonly kept pure breed in Britain. Victoria Roberts is a well known poultry vet & a top Poultry Club judge.
When she says "....mature quite quickly for a heavy breed" she will mean "quite" in the British use of the word. LOL. I have noticed that the word "quite" is used to mean "very" in the USA & Canada whereas in Britain the word "quite" means "rather" or "reasonably" but not "very". Anyway, light Sussex feather up at the same rate as breeds such as RIR. They mature a good deal faster than Orpingtons & considerably faster than cochins

 

[Germaine_11.20]

Well thank you Krys,

I would have been looking at the Sussex and wondering what was wrong with them!

I am excited to have them. I am hoping to have a fun, useful all around flock and think they will fit in great.
With all the different varieties it is hard to choose which one to keep.

 

[patandchickens]

There was a comment in the Rare Breeds Canada newsletter/magazine a few years ago, where some Canadian poultry guys went to the U.K. and were drooling over a really nice Light Sussex show bird there. In the article they went on at some length about how different and superior he (and much of his kind, over there) were to North American sussexes, how much larger and broader and heavier and so forth. Then they say something to the effect of, "But when we enquired about production qualities of the birds, we were told 'Don't ask'" :>

Pusuant to which, can anyone with direct experience of the nice big huge British sussexes comment on their egglaying, hatchability, and hardiness of chicks?

Just curious from that comment,

Pat