Sussex Breeders and Owners Discussion Thread

[Somewhere_In_The_Clouds]

Stunning, do you have photos of our Buff Sussex Roosters please?

My older rooster.

My potentially new breeding rooster, Rodney.

 

[Sussex19]

@Somewhere_In_The_Clouds here are my cuckoo x pullets.
The two in the center, not the one on bottom right. (that is just a RIR x)

How close to you think they look to Sussex body type?
I have my own opinions, but I'll keep them to myself for now, as I really want another unbiased opinion.
Sorry they aren't better photos for this, they are pretty skittish.

 

[Somewhere_In_The_Clouds]

What are they cross with? They don't look too bad but I think they do lack some of the correct size and shape. I am not sure if it's just the photos and/or the fact they are still pullets but their tails seem a tad low, I think compared to some of mine plus the standard.
Have you compared them to the standard?
http://www.openpoultrystandards.com/Sussex
They seem like a good starting point!

 

[Sussex19]

What are they cross with?

So their dad is a Light Sussex x Cuckoo Orpington (where the cuckoo comes from) and mum is my speckled sussex.
She doesn't have the best type herself, which isn't helping here.
I agree about their tails, and my other thoughts were they have to much fluff (can't think where that comes for, lol) lack size, and are too rounded.
I'm not sure if I ought to keep going with them, or try and get some better quality SS to start with.
I was thinking of breeding them back to light sussex, and see what I get from that.
I 'had' then been thinking of breed those offspring back to the brother of these, but that was the one that the fox took.
(going about this in a totally unscientific way, but I do enjoy just experimenting!)

I have looked at the standard, but I find it really hard telling whats wrong with mine compared to it.

 

[Somewhere_In_The_Clouds]

lack size

Maybe go for bantam?

and are too rounded.

That's a good way to word it actually. They're supposed to be very square.

I was thinking of breeding them back to light sussex, and see what I get from that.

It might be worth it but I am unsure how well the colours will do, the silver of the lights is quite dominant.

I have looked at the standard, but I find it really hard telling whats wrong with mine compared to it.

Yeah, I find it easier when someone explains to me about my chickens. I've had a show steward talk me through both my roosters and Spices.

 

[fuzzi]

This guy is not getting darker, has more of an orange color instead of mahogany. I don't think I will be using him for breeding.

This guy, however, is getting darker feathers, and appears to be dropping the feathers with stippling:

There are white feathers all over the run!

I don't think it will be much longer until I see their adult plumage.

 

[fuzzi]

And Joel keeps practicing for his audition:

 

[Somewhere_In_The_Clouds]

View attachment 3523747
This guy is not getting darker, has more of an orange color instead of mahogany. I don't think I will be using him for breeding.

This guy, however, is getting darker feathers, and appears to be dropping the feathers with stippling:
View attachment 3523752

There are white feathers all over the run!

I don't think it will be much longer until I see their adult plumage.

That's really interesting to see the colour difference!

 

[Somewhere_In_The_Clouds]

Of course when the incubator gets set up the one chicken (Spices) I want eggs from takes a break from laying

Here's some pictures. The first one is a nice example of colour, the pullet at the front is named Squash and is a pullet I bred, the other is one I bought. I know which I prefer...

And this picture I just love cause it's funny

 

[Somewhere_In_The_Clouds]

@Sussex19 thought you might be interested in how my Sussex X Barnvelder was growing. The pattern is very interesting.
I know it's still very early but I am pretty sure it's a rooster (I want to keep it )

Also I learnt from this cross that (most likely) the sussex pullets I bought are hiding reccessive yellow skin