NY chicken lover!!!!

[Gramma Chick]

Well I got that Dirty Rat ! Boy was he ? big ..
This is the surprise I found at 3 am
Hope it is just one..take that for killing my baby chicks...
This is a rat trap it is in ..Ive set another trap in the coop tonight ..in case there is more

weird eggs ..
I think this is the same hen...
2 itty bittys..then this balloon one

 

[Metella]

I wanted a second breed to focus on after the red sussex disappointed me, a breed that grows faster than the giant's. I was supposed to meet Linda from Eight Acres Farm when we were in Florida for German New Hampshire's, she had a death in the family and couldn't meet the day we drove through. So I decided to try naked necks instead, heard a lot of good stuff on them on the meat and egg production thread (that's where I heard Cackle had the best for hatchery NNs). I do prefer a pure breed bird, crosses are side projects. Wondering if I should decide on a standard color now.

Can you remind me what went wrong with the Red Sussex ? I am thinking of adding sussex - Thanks

 

[Beer can]

That's the craziest looking egg I've ever seen! @Gramma Chick

 

[Beer can]

Can you remind me what went wrong with the Red Sussex ? I am thinking of adding sussex - Thanks

It was just these particular birds, I think Sand Hill has a long way to go to get them to where they are supposed to be. IF I was to ever get them again there is only one other place that has them, Waltz's Ark, I'd have to give theirs a try. Their description of their breeding program for the red sussex sounds like they might have some good ones.
Green Fire made mention, I believe it was here on BYC on a old thread I read that they had imported some reds and had much of the same problems other breeders experienced, color problems, dark spangling on the chest (I had a few cockerels that had this) size issues, they decided to scrap them.

Sussex in any other variety would be a great addition to anyone's flock. Very similar to good New Hampshire's, but with a way much further back history. Sussex are great egg layers and have a good nice heavy carcass, great dual purpose birds.

The reds I got, beautiful birds, pretty much SOP as far as color, did have a few cockerels with wrong black spangling in the chest but did have two real nice correct colored one's, nice black hackle definition, white legs. Disappointed me on size and meatiness, did not fill out very good at all. I've had production RIRs that were way meatier than these things. I still have a few hens, while they are great layers they lay small eggs about the size of golf balls and mostly round, pathetic looking eggs.

If you were to get some sussex what variety are you looking to get? And from where?

 

[rancher hicks]

I have Big Delores. She's a light sussex I got in a trade. She's good size and lays well. I sort of wish I'd gotten more and stuck with them. She got snagged by a fox once but I think she was just to big to carry off and the vixen dropped her as I was in hot pursuit. Anyhow lights and coronets are larger than the speckled. They're a staple in the U.K. Others are being worked upon and will take years to get up to where we'd like them.

 

[Chicken girl 15]

I have all but the meaties out free ranging. It's great how well everyone gets a long. Even my little d'Uccle kids are out.

 

[Metella]

Beer Can - I had a speckled roo once - got him in a trade - he was hatchery - but a really fine and BIG fellow .... so had half an eye on them since then. So your issue was twofold - Standards not there and not meaty enough for a dual purpose .... My was certainly big enough to eat !

 

[ArielleL]

Can anyone tell me if this is a roo? They were supposed to all be pullets when I got them back in march, but some one saod it kinda looks like a roo and this is my first time raising chickens.

 

[Shawn14858]

Can anyone tell me if this is a roo? They were supposed to all be pullets when I got them back in march, but some one saod it kinda looks like a roo and this is my first time raising chickens.

Looks like it could be

 

[rancher hicks]

Can anyone tell me if this is a roo? They were supposed to all be pullets when I got them back in march, but some one saod it kinda looks like a roo and this is my first time raising chickens.

I need a better pic. Even enlarged it's hard to tell. I can't see the hackle feathers or the legs. You can't always tell from the comb at this age. If they're all the same age, based on this pic, I'd guess yes.

Even commercial sexers are not 100%. These are EE's right?