show quality speckled sussex ??

[3riverschick]

It is, but I guess my question is what makes it Heritage breed? I have read the basic definition, but what are the benefits and/or drawbacks if any. Can it also be "show quality"?

Well, the Heritage breeds are the "old school" breeds. Their value often lays in the fact they constitute "diversity" for the global poultry gene pool. Like the Sussex, often they are breeds which predated the modern breeds ( post-1952) and many times were the foundation breeds used to create the modern breeds and hybrids.
Benefits? : Keeping an old breed viable. Often very old vintage top quality strains to choose from when selecting for your flock. Some heritage breed strains have been carefully curated for over 100 years. Owning a beautiful creature from such a long illustrious parentage. The stability of a breed's minor hallmarks and complicated plumage patterns which comes from careful crafting over such a long time period. For instance the stunning barred symmetry of the Ringlet strain of Barred Rocks. The lovely visual eloquence of the mottled patterning on the Gary Overton strain of Speckled Sussex. The true historic Buff color on Dragonlady's Buff Orpingtons and on Danne Honour's Buff Leghorns. The symmetry and poise of Walt Leonard's Dark Cornish.
Yes, they can be show quality. In fact top show quality. Pick your new breed and make a short list of 3 or 4 top breeders. Look closely at their strains and pick out your favorite. Approach them with a breeding plan, buy the best and expect to pay for it. it is much cheaper than trying to "grade up" inferior stock because of all the sex-linked genes in poultry. Much more difficult than working with mammals.
Check with your chosen breeder and ID one or two other strains which he/she knows will cross well with his/her strain. Keep an eye on those strains in case you ever need a strain-cross. Do not cross strains at all to found your flock. I cannot stress that strongly enough. Do not cross varieties within a breed, (esp. color varieties ) to found a flock. Those sex-linked genes will come out to haunt you.
Linebreed on your chosen strain for several years until you get to know how it inherits and what to select for to best effect. Then you will know if you need a strain-cross or not. Probably not, if you have chosen wisely, smile.
Drawbacks? only what you make them out to be. There are strains of various quality in many breeds. The trick is to choose your foundation stock very carefully. Seek out the elite in your breed and keep their counsel to yourself. Pull all the advice together and decide. If you like Heritage large fowl, surf on over to the BYC thread Heritage Large Fowl Phase II . One of its basic purposes is to help a newcomer decide on a large fowl heritage breed and then introduce them to breeders with top strains.
https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/849075/heritage-large-fowl-phase-ii/7090
Best Regards,
Karen

 

[Naliez]

Well, the Heritage breeds are the "old school" breeds.  Their value often lays in the fact they constitute "diversity" for the global poultry gene pool. Like the Sussex, often they are breeds which predated the modern breeds ( post-1952)  and many times were the foundation breeds used to create the modern breeds and hybrids.
 Benefits? : Keeping an old breed viable. Often very old vintage top quality strains to choose from when selecting for your flock. Some heritage breed strains have been carefully curated for over 100 years. Owning a beautiful creature from such a long illustrious parentage. The stability of the minor breed hallmarks and complicated plumage patterns which comes from careful crafting over such a long time period.  For instance the stunning barred symmetry of the Ringlet strain of Barred Rocks. The lovely visual eloquence of the mottled patterning on the Gary Overton strain of Speckled Sussex. The true historic Buff color on Dragonlady's Buff Orpingtons  and on Danne Honour's Buff Leghorns.  The symmetry and poise of Walt Leonard's Dark Cornish.
 Yes, they can be show quality. In fact top show quality.  Pick your new breed and make a short list of 3 or 4 top breeders. Look closely at their strains and pick out your favorite. Approach them with a breeding plan, buy the best and expect to pay for it. it is much cheaper than trying to "grade up" inferior stock because of all the sex-linked genes in poultry. Much more difficult than working with mammals.
    Check with your chosen breeder and ID one or two other strains which he/she knows will cross well with his/her strain. Keep an eye on those strains in case you ever need a strain-cross. Do not cross strains at all to found your flock. I cannot stress that strongly enough.  Do not cross varieties within a breed, (esp. color varieties ) to found a flock. Those sex-linked genes will come out to haunt your.
    Linebreed on your chosen strain for several years until you get to know how it inherits and what to select for to best effect. Then you will know if you need a strain-cross or not. Probably not, if you have chosen wisely, smile.
    Drawbacks? only what you make them out to be. There are strains of various quality in many breeds. The trick is to  choose your foundation stock very carefully. Seek out the elite in your breed and keep their counsel to yourself. Pull all the advice together and decide. If you like Heritage large fowl, surf on over to the BYC thread Heritage Large Fowl Phase II . One of its basic purposes is to help a newcomer decide on  a large fowl heritage breed and then introduce them to breeders with top strains.
 Best Regards,
\Karen

Wow! That is some really great information and exactly what I was looking for! Thank you so much for taking the time!

 

[3riverschick]

More than welcome. Here's that URL to the BYC thread:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/849075/heritage-large-fowl-phase-ii/7090
Best Success,
Karen

 

[ilovechickens90]

Wowie a lot of reading but.i.manged to read it all thanks for the awesome information!

 

[3riverschick]

That's super impressive! Good for you! If you have questions, ask on that thread. They love to share there and help folk get started in quality large fowl!! Look forward to reading you there!
Best,
Karen

 

[Clucksworth]

Hello again from the UK, I haven't posted here for a couple of years. Saw a picture of one of my old hens come up a couple of pages ago
Not sure how much better I have done with the SS, good colouring has been a struggle with the offspring and hoping my you lad fills out a little yet - have nice green iridescence on the black of his feathers though. The offspring look a little dumpy in the photos but have better shank in real life.
Old chucks:


Offspring, roughly 9 months old:



Sorry for the bad photos, once they see me in the run they always run over! They're too friendly for their own good
Critique is welcome, it's been hard trying to undo the damage of my first cross of the old birds to a very poor type and coloured male a few years ago. So would be interested in a second opinion on how the offspring look.

 

[goatman303]

They are beautiful!!!

 

[Sunflowergirl]

I am no expert, but the offspring are beautiful! I love the looks of the first two offspring you have posted. They look like the old post cards of the standards!!!

Wonder if any experts would be willing to give the critique???

Edited to add the picts of the offspring of Clucksworth's that I like:

Offspring, roughly 9 months old:

 

[Clucksworth]

Thank you goatman303 and Sunflowergirl, I bred the original birds to a very poor cockerel because there was nothing else available at the time. I prefer my birds to have more black and mahogany colouration. Would like to know what the experts have to say - I remember when they critiqued the parents the other year

 

[snowbird]

Thank you goatman303 and Sunflowergirl, I bred the original birds to a very poor cockerel because there was nothing else available at the time. I prefer my birds to have more black and mahogany colouration. Would like to know what the experts have to say - I remember when they critiqued the parents the other year

These Speckled Sussex have more Body and overall type than what is found in the USA. The young male looks real nice and the color is almost there. I really like the HENS and Pullets. The hens have super type going on.

The male has too much white in the wing feathers. I will not knock the females as they are mostly there with what we would like to have. When the young finish out post another picture so we can see what an SS should look like. Don