Speckled Sussex - good layers??

[Onslow's Hens]

I have many different breeds and like a good natured, gentle type chicken that can lay a decent amount of eggs. Decent being 4 plus a week. Good natured meaning not picking the crap out of her flock mates and being a bully (RIR's I'm looking at you, you big bully!)
My Australorps are really terrific layers - really great! but, they are not real friendly - not mean or anything, just kind of "leave me alone". My Wyndotts are great layers but boy can they be Diva's!! Bossy little girls! My barred rocks - great with me but nasty to their flock mates. Tried them several times and they are always mean to flock mates! Jersey Giant - She lays when she feels like it (not much!) and could care less about me or her flock mates. EE - cool eggs and great layers - Yikes - hyper hyper hyper! Welsummers - great layers and calm no nonsense birds. Not particularly friendly but not aggressive at all either. I like them. The best hen I have is hands down......Noodles - the speckled sussex. She is super super sweet. So kind and gentle to her flock mates and begs to be held and carried around. She lays pretty good too. Not my best layer and her eggs are on the small side - but she is a consistant layer, healthy bird, deals with winter and summer heat really well.

I am thinking of getting about 25 more Speckled Sussex next year. Before I do....what are everyones thoughts on this breed. Pros and Cons.... If you were to pick one breed, what would it be?
No RIR, sex link, golden comet pros please - I admit those breeds lay like machines - but lets be honest....they don't play will with others. Its true....

 

[N F C]

I really liked the SS I raised. They were nice natured girls, not the top or the bottom of the pecking order and laid well.

If they had been available when I rebuild my flock here in WY, I would have got them again.

 

[mymilliefleur]

My SS were always good layers. I'd say they laid 5-6 eggs a week on average.

 

[Little Chicken Girl]

Sussexes are good layers and have superb temperaments (comparable to orpigntons. However, orpingtons are 'space-bubbly' chickens. I have not had enough Sussex chickens to determine if they are the same way).

The Sussex is a heritage meat breed (old meat bird) and the bigger/fatter the bird, the less they lay. For this reason, it would be a good idea to get 'production' or another strain of sussex rather than the heritage (unless you want meat as well). However, that is usually not hard. Most people prefer production geared (egg-laying geared) Sussexes which are superb layers.

 

[Onslow's Hens]

Good advise about the Heritage vs production. If getting from a commercial hatchery, I would suspect the SS would be geared more towards laying. Not into it for the meat. I get to attached to my pets.

 

[Folly's place]

I will always have some SS, the hens are wonderful! My first hen came from Meyers, and then several from Cackle. Good layers, and friendly, and beautiful!
My experience with cockerels and cockbirds has been mixed, from the same sources. Half were charming, and half were manfighters. So, by all means enjoy the hens, and choose carefully if you plan to keep a rooster (they are stunning!).
Mary

 

[Onslow's Hens]

Oh my.......... stopped to get feed and wouldn't you know it... they had 3 speckled sussex chicks left. I got them. Couldn't resist. I just moved my 6 Teenager chicks out to the big girl coop the week before so the brooder was just sittin there, freshly cleaned and all lonely. I am hopeless! The teenagers I just brooded were strong, healthy chicks but most definatly not people chicks. Flighty! EE's and Welsummers. Now these 3 little girls....so sweet and friendly. They are not flighty at all! They jump all over my hands and arms when cleaning and feeding them. Hands down....Speckled Sussex are my Favs!! These three I think are along lines of production type.

 

[N F C]

Oh my.......... stopped to get feed and wouldn't you know it... they had 3 speckled sussex chicks left. I got them. Couldn't resist. I just moved my 6 Teenager chicks out to the big girl coop the week before so the brooder was just sittin there, freshly cleaned and all lonely. I am hopeless! The teenagers I just brooded were strong, healthy chicks but most definatly not people chicks. Flighty! EE's and Welsummers. Now these 3 little girls....so sweet and friendly. They are not flighty at all! They jump all over my hands and arms when cleaning and feeding them. Hands down....Speckled Sussex are my Favs!! These three I think are along lines of production type.

Congratulations! I'd love to see a picture of your little SS if you'd care to share.

 

[Lifewithchicks]

My sweetheart is a buff Orpington. I was looking to add a few more and speckled Sussex was on my list. Along with welsummer, EE and australorp. Now you have me rethinking the EE and australorp! Everything says the austrolorp is comparable to a buff Orpington.
So you’re happy with your welsummer’s personality? We like eggs but they are mostly our pets so we’d love a few more that like to be held!

Edited to add: thank you for all the great info on different breeds!

 

[Spartan22]

My sweetheart is a buff Orpington. I was looking to add a few more and speckled Sussex was on my list. Along with welsummer, EE and australorp. Now you have me rethinking the EE and australorp! Everything says the austrolorp is comparable to a buff Orpington.
So you’re happy with your welsummer’s personality? We like eggs but they are mostly our pets so we’d love a few more that like to be held!

Edited to add: thank you for all the great info on different breeds!

SS are definitely people person, very friendly I got 2, also snagged 3 welsumer last spring and their feisty friendly(you have to give em attentions or they’ll peck your pant legs or shoes) Now I have 2 batches of Australorps (got suckered in by good layer reputations) some are friendly some are not and their feathers a little fluffy and slightly messy look.

My buff is gorgeous but doesn’t want to get near me at all and she’s a year old, got 3 batches of EEs hoping for blue eggs, I got mint, olive, green & pastel blue and pink eggs from them, I feel like Christmas Day whenever I gather their eggs like my Marans.