show quality speckled sussex ??

[GhostRider65]

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I had a couple roo's with that exact comb, I still think they are cute no matter if they have comb overload...........or bad tails, I will probably never show my SS, but I would like my breeds to resemble what they originally were suppose to have looked like.
I hate it that hatcheries have let the standard get so far from the original. I understand quantity, but for Jesus sakes people would still like to have the correct parts attached to the correct chicken.............. My boy does have good size and out of the 11 he was the biggest, widest most correct male of the bunch, but as I said he was chosen by accident, and the 1, I wanted was a bit smaller thou nice and wide and had some growing to do......... with some TLC he could have surpassed this boy in size later on, though these 2 looked a lot alike, so much so that I grabbed the wrong roo, so I will now work with what God chose for me........... he's a good roo and not mean so far, doesn't like to be held tho, and that upsets me because the other was a pocket rooster who thought I was the great god of food........LOL he would hop on my shoulder for treats everytime I entered the rooster pen. I miss him.

I didn't think you were picking on me, I asked to be cut up and it wasn't as bad as I had envisioned. I do really want to know what to use to make my SS exceptional, in later generations. I love the breed and will have a hard time with the culls, I just ain't got the heart to do it, as my hubby says to much heart not enough brain.... I got the chickens for meat and eggs, well I did get a little meat, but couldn't butcher this last batch sold them instead, I felt like such a traitor.... .....
That is also why I'am keeping a mixed flock for eggs. They ain't gotta be pretty to be good layers. So some of them culls will stay here forever as layers or mixed flock roosters. If there nice....... no mean roosters here. So I will actually have 3 pens the mixed mutts/layers, the SS and the Delaware pen. So I will take all the criticism I can get to help me move my select breeds in the right direction. TY Kim

 

[math ace]

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So far, I have only had to butcher one roo and he was NASTY and I wouldn't have it any other way. I would feel AWFUL if I sold a NASTY roo and it hurt someone.

I haven't had any trouble selling any extra roos, YET! As long as they are good natured birds, there are folks out there that just want a pretty bird or a friendly roo for their backyard flock.
Most people aren't willing to invest the time or money into developing a show quality flock. So, don't feel bad about not wanting to send anyone to "freezer camp". It is possible to find good roos good homes.

 

[ChestnutRidge]

HORMONES! Boy, does that make sense. He has been chasing the ladies all around the yard, crowing more, and even flogged me once when I was catching another rooster to sell. I think he was just trying to defend his flock, but I was pretty annoyed. We've been better about showing him his place, and he's been fine since. But - hormones. That explains a lot!

It's pretty cool to see his pictures all together like that. I'll try to get some more pictures of him today. Maybe my husband can help me get some wing shots. I'm pretty sure he does have some white flight feathers in there. His overall shape is pretty robust - he's huge compared to all of my other chickens, but he's of the largest breed - but his leg set is probably not ideal. I'll let you take a look.

 

[Howhardcanitbe]

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Pink feet can just mean HORMONES.... I wouldn't worry about it!

Could I see some more pics of this boy - PLEASE...

Let me see a chest photo, a top photo, and open up the wing and let me see what the boy is hiding - -PLEASE .... PRETTY PLEASE

ChestnutRidge, where did this boy come from?

I went out to the McMurray rooster pen day before yesterday. The boys are 27 weeks old. I've got Dorkings and Sussex in there and every single Sussex had splotchy red patches between their toes and on their legs. The Dorking legs were still pretty and white. Those red patches looked so "angry" to me, like they must hurt or itch something awful. I didn't know if the Sussex were coming down with something or had stepped in something. Other than the really obvious red feet, they were behaving normally, but I raced in the house and started web surfing. Did you know if you google red chicken feet you will discover your birds might just have avian flu? In fact, put in just about any symptom and you will be directed to the signs and treatment for avian flu. Anyhoo, I finally found the hormone explanation and relaxed. "Blood's gone to their toes" is what the old timers are said to have said. Course, by the time I got back out to the pen with my camera, the morning blood rush was subsiding. . .

Geez! I wish it didn't take so long to reacquire all the chicken lore we've lost over the past sixty years.

Robin

 

[stormylady]

Quote:
Pink feet can just mean HORMONES.... I wouldn't worry about it!

Could I see some more pics of this boy - PLEASE...

Let me see a chest photo, a top photo, and open up the wing and let me see what the boy is hiding - -PLEASE .... PRETTY PLEASE

ChestnutRidge, where did this boy come from?

I went out to the McMurray rooster pen day before yesterday. The boys are 27 weeks old. I've got Dorkings and Sussex in there and every single Sussex had splotchy red patches between their toes and on their legs. The Dorking legs were still pretty and white. Those red patches looked so "angry" to me, like they must hurt or itch something awful. I didn't know if the Sussex were coming down with something or had stepped in something. Other than the really obvious red feet, they were behaving normally, but I raced in the house and started web surfing. Did you know if you google red chicken feet you will discover your birds might just have avian flu? In fact, put in just about any symptom and you will be directed to the signs and treatment for avian flu. Anyhoo, I finally found the hormone explanation and relaxed. "Blood's gone to their toes" is what the old timers are said to have said. Course, by the time I got back out to the pen with my camera, the morning blood rush was subsiding. . . https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/uploads/99689_mm_roo_red_feet.jpg

Geez! I wish it didn't take so long to reacquire all the chicken lore we've lost over the past sixty years.

Robin

I've noticed my girls feet are getting very pink, they are normally very white I think it has something to do with the cold weather here cause thats when it started with them???

 

[Howhardcanitbe]

I've been keeping up with this thread but haven't had time to post. Winter is coming and I am not ready!

I wanted to show you my Sand Hill and my McMurray SS. Amazing how different they are.

First a Sand Hill roo at 15 weeks still in the midst of his molt and not looking his best:

Then there's this Sand Hill fellow: He seems to have lost all his spots. Got a pullet with the same issue. The upside is there isn't a white primary or sickle to be found anywhere on either one.

Curiouser and Curiouser. I've got a few of these odd colored pullets. Not mahogany. More like camel. And their fluff is brown and white. Is this breeding faux pas or is there another variety of Sussex, beyond Red, Light and Speckled?

Odd colors aside, I will likely be breeding from the Sand Hill group, mainly because they've got the most delicate pelvic bones and least pinched tails of any of my birds. If I am going to be a long term breeder of these birds, they've at least got to pay their way with egg sales.

I don't have any good shots of my McMurray birds but what sticks out to my eye is the angle of the wing. The pullets look fine, but the four roos I have seem to carry their wings lower than my other SS. What do ya'll think? This is a McMurray SS at 6 months of age.

I do have another question. I remember somewhere in this thread there shouldn't be anything long and lean about a SS. My first group of roos have longer toplines (but are definitely not long and lean) than either the McMurray or Sandhill birds. The latter seem chunkier, more compact and tank like. Should I be loving the longer topline or the chunky monkeys?

Here is one of Mt. Healthy roos at 34 weeks. Big black chest, I know, and he's been fighting with the other roo so his comb looks awful, but from shoulders to tail, there's so much more room than either the McMurray or Sand Hill roos.

Robin

 

[math ace]

Quote:
NOTHING to worry about Ladies.... The standard specifies that our birds should have:

Legs and TOES:

Shanks and Toes - - Pinkish white

The males will show more pink because of the hormones as they are entering sexual maturity.

 

[math ace]

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You hold on Robin... I am going to go give Don ( Snowbird ) a holler and get him to post some commentary on these birds.

He is probably going to tell me that I am off my rocker, BUT I like that last boy's body. The odd colored SS reminds me of the mille d'fluer birds.
The ones without spots remind be of a red sussex. HOWEVER, with all that being said, I am just a babe in the woods and NEED Don to get on here with his thoughts!

 

[Howhardcanitbe]

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If you're a babe in the woods, then my parents haven't even conceived me yet! You've got me scrambling for the SOP. Yes, I can see what you mean about the Red Sussex. How nice that I have a pair! But Mille Fleur? From what I googled and saw in the SOP, they're banties and have got feathered shanks, don't they? Hmmm....

Well, all I can say is Sand Hill was very creative about filling my Silver Gray Dorking order. The SS I agreed to, the rest, including the Dorkings that aren't of the Silver Gray variety . . .well they were all a surprise. McMurrary at least tried to keep it to SGD's and SS. They threw in only one Golden Laced Wyandotte boy. Gorgeous fellow, but I have no use for him here, other than freezer camp.

 

[stormylady]

I personally like the Mt. Healthy Rooster the best he to me has an awesome body, I like the colors and the comb what I can see of it on the McMurry roo, I dont like the color at all on the hen, but she does have a very long body or the Roo from Sandhill, hmm if I could get those two roos Blended together I think that would be great. Seeing how thats not gonna happen I think I would take the Mt. Healthy Roo for my girls, Don said I needed a Dark Roo with a good comb. Hmmm??? ( the McMurry and the Mt. Healthy Roos comboed together that is )