NEW Sussex Color (Cuckoo)

[draye]

Here's my hypothesis as to how the Cuckoo Sussex came to be...

Greenfire brought over the Silver Sussex and were crossing with Light Sussex to produce more chicks (which is true). The Silver Sussex began to lose their Silver Sussex appearance - started to feather out with too much white (true). Since a non-barred rooster over a barred hen will produce hens that share the appearance of Silver Sussex (true) Greenfire decided to cross one of their Sussex over a barred hen to darken up their Silver Sussex (this is a guess, but it is a common practice and has been done with Sussex in Australia and Canada). The barred gene then appeared in the chick you're friend bought from Greenfire Farms.

Just because Greenfire Farms (probably) used a barred hen somewhere along the line doesn't prevent your chickens from being "pure" Cuckoo Sussex. As long as your chickens meet the criteria for Sussex they are Sussex (chickens are not pure bred in the same way dogs or cattle are - chickens just have to meet the physical criteria for a variety).

Your chickens are beautiful by the way - I'm a big fan of barred/cuckoo birds.

, from Mabelvale, Arkansas.

 

[draye]

How's these Cuckoo Sussex doing? Any updates?

 

[suebgbr]

Are you sure your 'extinct breed' Cuckoo Sussex is not just a Speckeldy Hen?
I have one, here are some photo's. She lays light beige eggs. Some of which hatched recently and one was all black with black beak and feet.

 

[BRIGANTIAN]

My two 21 week f3 cuckoo Sussex pullets with their two black sisters in with my whites if anyone's interested they are for sale as I am concentrating on whites along with my coronations . I am in county Durham UK email [email protected]

 

[3riverschick]

Hi

,
Cuckoo Sussex is not a new color. Outram discusses them in his 1926 book on the breed.
Seems a gentleman originated them on an Island off the English coast. Outram was impressed
and wrote he hopes the variety does well. Tho I personally think a Cuckoo Marans was involved
somehow where this color originated in the US. All that said, it really doesn't matter if that is
the case. Varieties are often recreated from outside the breed sourcing. In the end, if it looks like
Sussex in the eyes of the APA, it's a Sussex. Type makes the breed and blood tells.
I really like draye's explanation.

Best,
Karen

 

[suebgbr]

I think they mean that the colour died out and they have now recreated it