Speckled Sussex opinions please

[rocasocks]

Just wondering which girls I should use for breeding.



^ Pullet 1






^ Pullet 2
I'm guessing she may have too much black?





^ Pullet 3


I'll hopefully also have at least 4 other pullets to choose from also/

 

[rocasocks]

Bump.

 

[Hal Porcher]

Most will develop more white with time. Breed type should be your first criteria, paint job second.

 

[3riverschick]

Hi,
Use pullet number 3. Speckled Sussex feathers are supposed to be "tipped" with white. Not spangled (a large blotch of white). The black bar is supposed to be 1/4 of an inch wide. Prize this mostly brown bird. Much better to inch your way to more white than try and get rid of it. Breed her to a very full bodied cock with proper (not excess) coloring. It is imperative your cock be of the very best quality in body type and proper coloring. He should come from a related show quality line and be tightly bred. Inbred is best. If you don't have such a related line available, then contact Tony Albritton in Idaho ( website) . He is a veteran breeder of successful show quality large fowl Speckled Sussex. Ask him if he has a tightly bred male which will complement your hen. Send him color pics from several angles. Top, front, back and esp. a great side profile. Catch your bird in a proper natural pose.
Speckled Sussex are the most difficult of the colors to breed because they are a tricolor variety. You have a wonderful start in pullet 3.
Pick the best colored daughter and breed it back to her father. take the best son and breed it back to the mother. Save the best son from the first mating to the sire in case you lose your original sire before you are through using him. Do the same (for the same reason) with the best daughter from the original dam. You are looking to "set" both structure and coloring.Below is a classic breeding plan used in multiple species, including poultry for hundreds of years. It is for setting type when founding a strain. ( "Setting type" means to make a feature strong in its ability to inherit , so it is passed on strongly to as many of the next generation as possible). The end result of this breeding plan is that, eventually, all the children look alike.
Do this for 3 generations.
A. Daughter to sire; granddaughter to original sire; great granddaughter to original sire.
B. Son to mother; grandson to original mother; great granddaughter to original mother.

1.Then the next generation, breed the best female from the original sire line to the best male from the original female line.
By now, ( 4-5 years from now) you will understand your strain and how it inherits. It will become obvious to you how to proceed, either in-breeding or line-breeding.
Best Regards,
Karen