Peeps in Europe!

[abpatchy]

Are you sure? They are awefully small to make a judgement about what's good and what's bad. My chicks went thru so many changes in color. Of course I know nothing about Sussex and the way they develop! But they sure are cute!
I just got rid of a rooster too to give the other one a better chance. So fair enough it is the right thing to do. But he was a lot older. What happens if you get rid of those other roosters and the one dies? Do you have a replacement option?
I would find a way to allow him to feed and get what he needs. Maybe split the groups and put him with others chicks (hens).

 

[Erba]

I meant the roosters. They are seven months old and not small at all, they are pretty well full grown now. The chicks are not even a week old...lol

 

[BDutch]

If that is so, I think I will keep him. My head is saying he is too thin next to his brothers, they are both whoppers. But the yellowing on their necks really bugs me, if I breed with them. I didn't notice the guy I bought the eggs from, (the one I drove to), had the same yellowing on his rooster. I only noticed when someone in the FB group pointed it out. That rooster also had a breeding ring on. I now just might dispatch of both, but is a bit of a risk if Mr Mobbed doesn't fill out.

I said you have a better chance. But Its no garantee. If there is a ungoing health issue why he is thin it will be no solution to set him apart with a one or two quiet hens. Being too thin can be a genetic flaw too.

But imo it certainly is worth a try. Stress can cause serious health issues. If you eliminate the stress and he has acces to nutritious chick food he will have a better chance to grow stronger.

 

[abpatchy]

I meant the roosters. They are seven months old and not small at all, they are pretty well full grown now. The chicks are not even a week old...lol

oh.. then I missunderstood!! Sorry!
I just did that with the little rooster of 4.5 months. The other rooster kept him away from the food and just kept him back in general. The difference in size got to be very obvious. As soon as I took the other rooster out he just blossomed. He grew, started crowing, he became confident. The whole works.
The issue is, when you take the 2 roosters out and you find that they were not the issue. You won't be able to put them back into the same pen. There would be a lot of fighting.
On the other hand, if they have a issue with color you probably don't want to breed with them anyways. If I understood correctly you think they might be mixed?

 

[abpatchy]

Ok... maybe I should have read your question properly again before responding.

I don't know if yellowing is genetic? Or maybe just the corn in the feed? Maybe just sun bleaching? My breeder friend is breeding white Sulmtaler and white faverolles... and she said it could be the feed or the sun or genetic. When I went to the poultry show in Wels last year there were many white Sulmtaler who had a yellow tint.
So what to do is a very difficult question...

 

[Erba]

I think the best course of action, is to keep two of them, and see what happens. I read that it is better to decide in Spring as they will be going into their second year. By that time my Light Sussex chicks will be laying eggs. And I can run a test incubation and see how they turn out. They have different genetics than the roosters, so I am hoping they might not pass it on.

 

[abpatchy]

I think the best course of action, is to keep two of them, and see what happens. I read that it is better to decide in Spring as they will be going into their second year. By that time my Light Sussex chicks will be laying eggs. And I can run a test incubation and see how they turn out. They have different genetics than the roosters, so I am hoping they might not pass it on.

I think that is a good choice... choose the one that has a nice personality... is good looking (comb etc)

 

[Erba]

So here are the three roosters, I would keep them all if i could but one has to go.

 

[abpatchy]

Nice birds!!
Number 2. He has a good posture. He also has a nice comb. The other combs I couldn't tell because of the way they were standing. But I can see the yellowing that you were talking about.
Nr. 3 has a more black in the neck feathers. At least it appears to be more and darker. If I look at pictures online of Sussex roos they all have more of the columbia coloring. Maybe it will come in later? I don't know... I am just guessing. It is a hard call. Maybe it will help you to take the standard http://www.sv-sussex.de/neu/musterbeschreibung.html
and look for things that are right and things that are wrong. If it matches with their personality and they are not being agressive towards you or the hens... then take the best match. If not just go by personality.

 

[abpatchy]

OMG!!! it does not end!
A couple of evenings I noticed a hen that was acting weird. She would sit in a strange possition in a corner. I couldn't feel an egg or anything... plus she is a little young, only 4.5 month old.
The next day you could tell she wasn't doing well... pushing and closing her eyes... sometimes she pushed so hard a little poop came out. Again, I felt nothing... no egg, no poop. She looked so misserable!! I put some oil in her cloaca and hoped it would help her.
All prepared for either a dead chicken or that I would have to cull, I went to the coop. She had layed an egg sometime between last night and this morning!! Tiny little egg... all dirty. But she looked better. She had eaten! That was a big plus.
So I was taking care of some stuff around the coop... I saw her squatting in the corner not looking well again. So I kept an eye on her. A couple of minutes later she had layed another egg! Poor thing!! No wonder she was so misserable!!! I feel for her... her first egg(s) and than that!
I will watch her in the next days... things should get easier for her. 4.5 month... her comb wasn't all that big yet... she is a bit early! Just happy it worked out that way!