speckled sussex questions

[birdbrain5]

im getting ready to order some chicks and for my brown egg layers i was drawn to the SS. it seems that for brown eggs most people say a RIR is the best and has the most egg production, but i like the color of the SS. are they really that far behind the RIR when it comes to egg production? has anyone had them go broody? what is thier disposition like, do they free range well and are they calm? id like a flock that will range and not stay glued to the coop, yet not be in a frenzy if they dont get out of the coop either. just wondering what peoples experience is with them! also- i dont seem to see people breeding them much, is there a reason for not, or are they just a more rare breed?

 

[happyhensny]

We have the Sussex and love them, calm great winter layers. Breeding them this spring. Yeah!

 

[birdbrain5]

o meant to ask for pictures too!!

 

[WestKnollAmy]

I am going to try and add 15 of them to my free range flock this year. I bought them last year but everyone wanted them so i sold out and did not get to keep any for myself. I have ordered 30 this year and hope I can hang on to them. All reports back from buyers say they absolutely love them! Great layers, calm, friendly dispositions.

 

[RAREROO]

Here is one of my old listings with pics of some of mine. https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=332555 But if you are wanting them for Brown Eggs, their eggs are acutally closer to white, its a real light cream color and I wouldnt call it brown like what I have seen from Production Reds and hatchery RIWs.

 

[goldeneggtees]

I have three ss, only one is friendly and she is the by far the largest. The other (much smaller) two are very aloof and not very friendly at all. The unfriendly ones though are quite happy to roam off by themselves. Some of their personality may be due to the fact that they are lowest on the pecking order.

I'm not sure about how well they lay, they just started and I don't watch them very closely to know.

Had one jump a fence and take herself for a little walk down the street, maybe she wanted to join a new flock!

 

[Judy]

My two are by far my friendliest. Not quite as good layers as BA but still -- laying in winter, even here, is pretty good. My favorites. Oh, they are Ideal chickens.

 

[Steve_of_sandspoultry]

The SS don't lay a large egg, it's more medium sized and they aren't as good of layers as a "dual purpose". They are calm natured and stand out, everybody takes notice of them when they come to our place. The SS was bred as a meat bird in the UK and if you look close at the body shape you can still it in them. Their meat is fine grained and dense much like a Dark Cornish.

Steve