Need Help with Light Sussex Standard

[BlackHackle]

Hi I received 8 Light Sussex from a mixture of two different lines recently imported from Europe. They are now almost 1 month old. The 3 cockerels are growing the black hackle feathers and so is the one female, but the 4 others have not a lick of black in their hackles. Is this normal for some to be slower at growing the traditional black hackle feathers, or are these from a different breed? I already found out one is an American Bresse and not a Sussex so I wouldn't be surprised. The other 3 I am not sure of have white shanks

 

[nicalandia]

Hi I received 8 Light Sussex from a mixture of two different lines recently imported from Europe. They are now almost 1 month old. The 3 cockerels are growing the black hackle feathers and so is the one female, but the 4 others have not a lick of black in their hackles. Is this normal for some to be slower at growing the traditional black hackle feathers, or are these from a different breed? I already found out one is an American Bresse and not a Sussex so I wouldn't be surprised. The other 3 I am not sure of have white shanks

Pics would help alot.

 

[BlackHackle]

Pics would help alot.

I 'll get them when I can, I just got back from an extremely long drive to the NW Territories

 

[3riverschick]

,Hi,
Well according to Greg Brereton a Light Sussex will not have a black hackle if it is missing the Hackle Black gene. It will have the other black points but not the black hackle. Hackle Black gene is still a theory tho. Greg did a lot of research on it and believes it exists.
As to the legs, Light Sussex can be hatched with light yellow legs which will turn white as they mature.
I have Light Sussex and have never heard of a Light Sussex in the USA or Canada which has not had a black hackle. You should be seeing indication of black hackle by now. Your birds are out of the down and in juvenile feathers by now? I think you have foreign blood in there somewhere. Or this could be a European thing. Were the chicks in down when you received them? A proper Light Sussex chick down is pale yellow. Spots, dots, or any kind of discolored feathering is unacceptable and is warning blood of foreign blood up close in the pedigree.
That said, these are newly arrived European strains so you may want to give them another month to see if they are just developing plumage at different rates than we are used to in the USA. But if the legs are not white by the time they are fully feathered out in juvenile feathering, your have foreign blood in there.
One other thing, when your birds are grown, the down is white to the skin. If the underfluff has a hue of color to it, it is absolutely indicative of foreign blood in the bird.
Best,
Karen

 

[BlackHackle]

,Hi,
Well according to Greg Brereton a Light Sussex will not have a black hackle if it is missing the Hackle Black gene. It will have the other black points but not the black hackle. Hackle Black gene is still a theory tho. Greg did a lot of research on it and believes it exists.
As to the legs, Light Sussex can be hatched with light yellow legs which will turn white as they mature.
I have Light Sussex and have never heard of a Light Sussex in the USA or Canada which has not had a black hackle. You should be seeing indication of black hackle by now. Your birds are out of the down and in juvenile feathers by now? I think you have foreign blood in there somewhere. Or this could be a European thing. Were the chicks in down when you received them? A proper Light Sussex chick down is pale yellow. Spots, dots, or any kind of discolored feathering is unacceptable and is warning blood of foreign blood up close in the pedigree.
That said, these are newly arrived European strains so you may want to give them another month to see if they are just developing plumage at different rates than we are used to in the USA. But if the legs are not white by the time they are fully feathered out in juvenile feathering, your have foreign blood in there.
One other thing, when your birds are grown, the down is white to the skin. If the underfluff has a hue of color to it, it is absolutely indicative of foreign blood in the bird.
Best,
Karen

Thanks for the information! They all have white legs except one which has slate. Yes they are juveniles, almost all feathers. I received them all as chicks. They were pale yellow. I'll try to get pictures tomorrow morning

 

[3riverschick]

Well the slate legged one is not a Sussex. Someone needs to refund you some money.
Sorry,
Karen

 

[Jase The Butcher]

Thanks for the information! They all have white legs except one which has slate. Yes they are juveniles, almost all feathers. I received them all as chicks. They were pale yellow. I'll try to get pictures tomorrow morning

Sure sounds like rubbish to me, you really thing that's a Sussex?? Gee

 

[Justso]

Sorry to hijack BlackHackle! You post the best questions! If you could all take a look at mine and give your opinion..hatched in April