show quality speckled sussex ??

[cashdl]

Thank you for your reply. They look huge to me because they are bigger than my araucanas, but I know I have alot to learn. I saw them at a poultry show and they were an impulse buy. I am happy with them, I just need to learn more. They are pretty birds and not flighty which is nice. I can't stand a flighty bird.

I keep looking at them and at the pics in the new SOP. I see what you mean by too much white in the primaries. Also now that you point it out her neck is long. It should be shorter and maybe more substantial. As I mentioned, I know tail set is high. It seems the roo might have too much black in his sickle feathers also.

Again thats for the reply.

Lanae

 

[Howhardcanitbe]

Quote:
Glad to hear your birds aren't flighty. I have several pullets that have recently developed an independent streak. In the morning, right after they eat the feed I put out, they hop the 4' electric fence and free range all day. Course this means I can't find their eggs and they have absolutely no protection from predators. (Around here, that's mostly dogs. Since I lost over half my flock last year to a rampaging dog, I'm a little particular about where my chickens spend their days.) I tried clipping one wing. Then two. No help there. Putting up no fly tape is rather out of the question as I move the pens daily and the electric fence about once a week. I just can't bring myself to tether them. So for now these free thinkers roam where they like, thank you very much. Must have a turkey brain stuck inside their little heads because they are nosy little things when they are out. They are pretty good about coming home for bed, (and breakfast.) Still, I'm probably going to cull them. Can't afford to feed them if they are going to hide eggs where I can't find them.

And a SS roo's sickles, coverts and Smaller coverts should be lustrous greenish black tipped with white, while the main tail feathers are black and white. (Quoting from the standard) So I wouldn't worry too much about your roo's tail coloring. Seems okay to me for now. It'll continue to change as he grows. Are your birds still dropping feathers from the juvie molt, can you tell?

Robin

 

[cashdl]

They don't appear to be molting right now. No stray feathers in their pen. Now my Araucanas are more feathers on the ground than on the birds. I don't mind an independant streak, I actually like it. For some weird reason it annoys me to have chickens chasing me for food. I like to sit in my garden and watch them root around. I do have a few hatchery RIRs that don't leave a person alone. They would rather follow you for food all day than look for it themselves. My Araucanas would rather look for their own food than eat what is put in front of them every morning.

I am pleased by how meaty the sussex appear to be as a breed. I definately want something dual purpose.

Lanae

 

[snowbird]

Quote:
Glad to hear your birds aren't flighty. I have several pullets that have recently developed an independent streak. In the morning, right after they eat the feed I put out, they hop the 4' electric fence and free range all day. Course this means I can't find their eggs and they have absolutely no protection from predators. (Around here, that's mostly dogs. Since I lost over half my flock last year to a rampaging dog, I'm a little particular about where my chickens spend their days.) I tried clipping one wing. Then two. No help there. Putting up no fly tape is rather out of the question as I move the pens daily and the electric fence about once a week. I just can't bring myself to tether them. So for now these free thinkers roam where they like, thank you very much. Must have a turkey brain stuck inside their little heads because they are nosy little things when they are out. They are pretty good about coming home for bed, (and breakfast.) Still, I'm probably going to cull them. Can't afford to feed them if they are going to hide eggs where I can't find them.

And a SS roo's sickles, coverts and Smaller coverts should be lustrous greenish black tipped with white, while the main tail feathers are black and white. (Quoting from the standard) So I wouldn't worry too much about your roo's tail coloring. Seems okay to me for now. It'll continue to change as he grows. Are your birds still dropping feathers from the juvie molt, can you tell?

Robin

Robin, When the SOP says the main tail should be black and white, They mean black feather with white tip. Entirely too much white in the Wing and tail.

 

[stormylady]

Hi everybody, haven't been to this thread in a little while and checking in to see whats new!! Sandy

 

[mrheinz77]

Math Ace,
How are your youngsters looking?
Jim

 

[math ace]

Quote:
My babies are only 5 weeks old, so they are too young to tell. The other SS are over 30 weeks old.
I kept ONE rooster and he is not great. The reason I kept him is he is BIG. Since the hens that I got from
two sources were so small... I figured I could at least work with size.

A few of the hens have decent combs, but the roo has a terrible comb. I am hoping that if I selectively pair the roo to the hens with the best combs,
I will produce a cockerel with size and decent comb. Since we are heading into the cold weather season, I won't be in a hurry to try any breeding until the spring.

I am also hoping that the single cockerel that I hatched in the 5 week old batch will turn out to be a wonderful specimen and I will be able to use him instead.
I won't know about him for a few more months either. So, again we will be waiting until Spring.

Basically, I am at a standstill for a couple of months.

 

[math ace]

Quote:
Welcome aboard the thread Lanae! I am sorry I have taken so long to post a feedback comment on your pair.
I am starting with the hen.... I would not use her at all for show quality breeding. Her overall body shape is just wrong.

FROM the SOP for Female Shape:
Neck - medium in length, nicely curved and tapering.
Neck feathers moderately full, flowing well over the shoulders
with no apparent break at juncture of neck and back.

Back - - Long, Flat BROAD its entire length, sloping slightly to tail

Tail -- Of med length, fairly well spread, - - > 35 degree above horizontal
Main tail feathers - - Broad and overlapping
Coverts - well developed

Wings - - Medium in length, well folded, carried closely to body without dropping
Primaries and Secondaries - Broad and overlapping in natural order when wing is folded.

Breast - - Broad, deep rounding nicely into body

Body - Long Broad Deep

And the 1920's Sewell print that we use as a visual guide as to what a good SS should be shaped like.

Lanae,

Your hen is has too long of a neck, looks like a pinched tail, needs a fuller chest, and the back / topline may not be wide enough either.
The male has not only a high tail, but a very pinched tail. This indicates that he is not wide enough from front to back either.

HEADS UP EVERYONE - - THESE ARE SUPPOSE TO BE BIG 9 lb Roosters and 7 lbs Hens. That is a LOT of weight. If the legs aren't wide enough apart they won't be able to support the bird's weight. You will end up with hobbling and injured birds. The tail, back, and chest all need to be wide. A wide skeleton allows for the weight of these birds to be supported on "legs set well apart".

 

[math ace]

Quote:
Welcome aboard and glad to see you post.

I am not sure if you were looking for feedback or if you were just posting the pic's because you were delighted to share your flock with us. If you were looking for feedback.... I need more shots like the above one where you are closer to their level and closer to them. One from the front, One from the top, and one from the side would help.

In any matter, Glad you stopped in to say "Hi"!

 

[PetRock]

I have three hatchery SS pullets that are 25 weeks old and still not at POL. They are getting to be nice sized birds and I need to take my scale out there to weigh them. One of them is starting to turn red in the comb and face so she may be close to POL. As soon as their combs develop a little more, I'm going to post pics so you all can critique them. I am aware of some of their faults already but would like confirmation. I am not set up to breed any chickens at all right now but when I finally get my farm

, SS will probably be one of the breeds I will choose to breed. The more I learn about them before hand, the better!