The Sussex thread!

[jebbush02]

My speckled Sussex is my sweetest! She is always interested in what we are doing and is my only one who likes to be petted. She is now 22 weeks with no signs of getting ready to lay. At what age does this breed normally start laying?

 

[Chickengirl47]

Ours started laying at five or six months.





I think...

 

[Deerfield Acres]

Mine were right at 5 months.

 

[Pozees]

Should be right around 6 months. One of the things I appreciate about Sussex is that they usually lay through winter. The girls I have now hatched June 2, they started laying between Thanksgiving and Christmas, and have not stopped.

 

[City Chicken]

hi everyone.
i have one full light sussex and a light sussex roo (the others are white rock, white rockXlight sussex and RIR).
I would like to hatch some light sussex eggs, but want to be sure of which ones are hers without isolating her, because that might be counter productive (as far as stressing her and then expecting her to lay!).
can anyone tell me what your light sussex eggs look like- or better yet post pics? the RIR lay BIG ol fat pinkish light brown eggs, the white rock is brown and i think that the pinkish speckled egg being laid is from the light sussex, but i can't be sure.

anyone want to weigh in?

 

[Arielle]

Quote: Thank you. That makes sense. I don't think the sussex were designed to live in New England with out a little extra TLC. For the rooster anyways.

 

[Arielle]

Who has the nicest Speckled Sussex out there? Interested in both LF and Bantam

If you are looking for high quality SQ birds there are only a few sources from what I have gathered.

 

[Arielle]

So I am newly enthralled by the Sussex breed. The Wikipedia site says that it goes back to the roman conquest of Great Brittan, but doesn’t give any references for that…does anyone have a link to anything documenting the history of the breed? I would assume that the brown wildcolor would be one of the earliest variants? Just curious. Always been into history.

I was reading THe SUssex Fowl and that book is the writings of the start of the sussex in England after the turn of the century. 1900's that is. A more recent breed-- perhaps you are thinking of the DOrking?

 

[pysankigirl]

yeah...thats what I originally thought, too but that's what wikipedia says! LOL

 

[cjhubbs]

Hey Everyone,
I am trying to find a new dual purpose breed of chicken to get after my current layers times are up. I have been looking at the light Sussex, Buckeye and the Dorking breeds. I was wondering how frequently your sussex's lay and if they lay through the winter? I also was wondering how the temperment of the breed was in general and how they are as meat birds? Thanks!