Sussex thread!

[3riverschick]

Have you checked the Breeders directory at the American Sussex Association website?
Best ,
Karen

 

[deedles]

I've recently paid big chicken scratch for a 4 month old rooster and hen coronation sussex pair. They are really beautiful and pretty much are acting like royalty. But not like chickens. They don't scratch at all and today I opened up the run door to a fenced in part of the yard... grass, plants and scratch feed on the ground. Nothing. Not at all interested in coming out. Nor are they interested in the roost or the ladder, they sleep on the ground.
What's the deal? Plus, the outside toes look curled back on the hen and somewhat on the rooster. Maybe I got duds?

 

[3riverschick]

Maybe they were caged raised and have no idea how to act like chickens if they were raised in cages they would have automatic feeders automatic waterers . No need to scratch for anything and probably did not have a roost . That's ok, I cage raise my chicks without Roosts and they turn out just fine.
so you're going to have to teach them. get them some nice treats chickeny type yummies. Go with something fresh like a head of fresh spinach because you watch them to like fresh things. Yum! Give them medium-size Granite grit too.(grower). Wedge the head of spinach upright to start.
Give them time. Plus this is a new home and they are getting adjusted.
Like to see pics of those toes. It could be inbreeding or something as simple as a long hatch when the chick took a long time to get out.
Best and congrats on your birds!
Karen and the Light Sussex in Western Pennsylvania

 

[3riverschick]

I never provided Roost roosts for my Light Sussex at all ,even when they were grown. they just nestled down in the chips and went to sleep .not a problem.
although I think there might be a little better if you could teach them to roost.
maybe bring them in each and set them on the roost ...because I think
...(don't quote me) ...I suspect...that balancing on the roost may have a cause and effect of them tightening up their wings up against their bodies.
which may make the wings muscles stronger so the wings are higher up against the birds body.
that's just a guess but I think when we build this new permanent coop, I'm going to put roosts in for my Sussex and see what happens.
I will probably have to put them on it until they figure it out . Roosting is a natural behavior for birds, I'm sure they will like it .
Would be nice if you had another chicken any hen, that already knew how to roost to show them how to do it .that might be a big help.
Karen

 

[3riverschick]

Deedles ,
there's a lot of advantages to Cage Raising your birds . for instance, if you had very high quality birds like the ones you paid for , I can definitely see that happening. they may have even been raised on wire bottom crates in which case they wouldn't have been scratching. Cage Raising lets you watch the bird more closely. it's easier to get your hands on the bird without stressing it. the bird does fine. it has plenty of room, light, air .you can completely control its feed . so if you're raising a show bird you can be very meticulous about nutrition it gets. so it will grow up to be the best. you can check its condition carefully everyday instead of chasing it around a pen or whatever. you know I can definitely see this for show birds. So they ate a little backwards on their natural Instincts. that's okay, they will figure it out .sounds to me like you got some nice birds. how about pictures?
Best,
Karen

 

[deedles]

you can kind of see on the outside toe of the rooster that it's curled back. The hens is more pronounced. I just couldn't get a good shot of it this time. Anyway, Kind George crowed like a rooster this morning! That's something. I did hang up a nice lettuce from the garden and also put some melon rind and seeds in there. As I remember our old chickens went tart for melon rinds and seeds. Also, we got 2 copper Marans from the same place (one month younger) and I did pick one up today and set her on the low ladder rung in the coop. She seemed to think it was okay and stayed there for a few minutes. Maybe the maran pullets will teach the sussex.

 

[deedles]

I meant KING George.

 

[3riverschick]

I wouldn't stress about the toes. it doesn't look that bad. it's not curled underneath and it's not bad like a ' J" or anything weird .it's just a little off to the side. I wouldn't worry about it, just enjoy your chickens and and go from there. Karen