Size is the big attraction in the Aussie birds. They go for physical size and plumage which makes the bird look bigger. Ok to understand the difference an excellent read is the 8 page 1921 timeless essay on the Light Sussex by veteran breder and poultry judge William White Broomhead. He later became President of th British Poultry Association. It can be read online at:
http://tinyurl.com/afbq753
The APA ( and historically) the Sussex breed should be 9lbs. for males and 7 lbs. for females. Aussie males run to 13 lbs. The females run large also. Plus the Aussie birds have loose feathering (what we call fluffy). Personally I don't believe Geenfire Farms ever meant for there to be a clash in breed type with the US and Aussie Light Sussex. i really think he wanted to help the breed diversity. However, melding the two breed types needs a carefully thought out linebreeding program of several generations with judcious back-crossing to get the latter generations into APA compliance. Aussie birds are DQ's at APA shows because of their divergent breed type.
These are the four main
Light Sussex lines which are available in the US. Bradshaw, Grisham, Dingle, Ron Presley.
Only Bradshaw is Aussie. Dingle is the old man of the woods. Not sure where Grisham and Presley got
their start. Some have diluted Bradshaw with some or all of the other 3 US lines.
I did find out how to breed closeness of feather into Sussex or any bird in which it is needed or desired. Select for improved egg production. An increase in 25 eggs per bird per year will result in more closeness of feather in that bird.
Look for pure strain
Speckled Sussex birds from Tony Albrittion in ID, Gary Overton in OH, Walt Reichert in KY, . Then buy a trio (1 male, 2 females) or quad (2 males, 2 females) from them as started birds or adults. Don't start out in Sussex with eggs or chicks. It is the perfect time of year for this as the breeders will b trimming their flocks for overwintering.
Stay within your strain with Speckled Sussex because they are a tri-color breed.
There is also a national breed Club , The American Sussex Association.
http://www.americansussexbreeders.webs.com/
If you incubate any Sussex this time of year, they won't be good winter layers. The breed was designed to be an excellent winter layer so the chicks could be raised early and crammed for the table in time for "Derby" time in the early English springtime. That said, historically, the best winter layers are hatched in Feb. thru end of March. It's too late in the year for that, obviously, however your best bet now would be to get with breeders starting to thin their flocks for the winter and pick up some started birds ..or older breeders which you can hatch your own chicks from early next Spring , as noted. if you want show birds or birds linebred to type, buy from the best and
never cross them with any utility strain.
The tricolor (Speckled) bird is one of the most difficult to breed for color. It took decades for the master breeders to set proper color in their flocks. It can be lost in one generation. Contact veteran breeders
now to get on their lists for Fall birds. Expect to pay bucks for them, but that amount will be piddly compared to the decades of work they took to create their superb flocks.
The Ohio National is this weekend in Columbus. Buy there or arrange to pick up birds from breeders there. Veteran breeders in
Speckled Sussex (large and bantan) are Gary Overton, OH; Tony Albritton(ID); Rev. Ashbrook(OH?); Rob Mongold, (OH); and in KY there's Walt Reichert whose large fowl Speckled Sussex are tearing up the show in at the highest levels (see Poultry Press pics). Bill Fox (OH) recently bought a flock from either Ashbrook or Overton.
Best Regards,
Karen in western PA, USA
Another thread mentioned stature but hard to compare with only one.
