show quality speckled sussex ??

[math ace]

Hey everyone!

I see there has been some activity on this thread today... I am going to take a moment to catch up on the posts.

 

[math ace]

I have four pullets and one cockerel. Three of the pullets have twisted combs and some have crooked toes. One that has the nicest comb has a goofy tail.


The cockerel has white in his tail and in the hackles and crooked toes

Speaking from experience - Crooked Toes are a highly passable trait.
If you are planning on breading this cockerel, replace him as soon as possible with a cockerel without crooked toes

As far as combs go, this breed has a lot of issues to work on. I very rarely find SS with good combs. Combs are only worth 5 pts in the show ring.
As long as you are not dealing with DQ comb issues, keep you focus on other aspects of the bird. Improve the comb as you go along, but don't let comb faults lead your culling decisions.

White where it doesn't belong is more of an issue. The SOP states that in any section of the Plumage, more than one appearance of more than one half inch of positive white is a DQ

 

[snowbird]

Hey everyone!

I see there has been some activity on this thread today... I am going to take a moment to catch up on the posts.

Lisa, thought we could get a few picture post to help the thread.

 

[math ace]

Now I have a question for ya all. These lovely little pullets were all laying up till about three weeks ago. They seem to be going through a molt. Is this normal? They lost their head and tail feathers and some body feathers. And of course quit laying.The light brown leghorn that I got with them is still laying. I've read that the SS were suppose to be winter egg layers.

My SS are molting and quit laying about 2 months ago.

 

[snowbird]

Quote:
In the North I do not think the SS are that good of winter layers.

 

[math ace]

Hey Don,

I am done with my experiment. I sent you an email about it.
Thanks for the help with it...

 

[zinia8]

In the North I do not think the SS are that good of winter layers.

Thanks that is good to know. I don't expect them to be gumball machines. Already have and had those kind (tetra tints)

 

[Arielle]

Quote: My girls layed into October, at the end just one hen laying. THese do not get lights. I'm paying attention to see when they start laying again. This years early hatched pullets started laying about a month ago. Younger batch has not started yet.

 

[CristinaB]

My hens are still laying eggs, they don't have a brooder lamp and no heat in the coop. Coop is well insulated and very dark at night. Amazingly, one of my Black Copper Marans started laying a couple weeks ago. Such a surprise! We are in the mountains of western Maryland and it has been cold off and on bur still collecting eggs regularly. Chickens are such great creatures!

 

[Arielle]

WIll see if I can post a pic. THis is a male that shows some of the issues I am trying to understand. WHich is the tail.

When I compare the males that are strongly squirrel tailed and those that I think are better, the difference seems to be the long sickle feathers-- THese vey long sickle feathers are very curvy and usually curve over the back before finishing the sweepover the tail. My senior rooster doesnot have these feathers.

WOuld love input on this to better understand.