The Sussex thread!

[sabrinah09]

when do they start laying eggs. i have 3 ss. One has a really short tail feathers and th othe 2 have long tail feathers

 

[Clucksworth]

Our SS started laying at just over 4 months old, they come into lay quicker if the weather is good and they have a good body weight. Signs that your hens will start to lay is reddening of their comb and waddles and their legs may also get paler. However if 2 of your SS are boys they won't lay at all :S

 

[RachaelS]

when do they start laying eggs. i have 3 ss. One has a really short tail feathers and th othe 2 have long tail feathers

Please post pics, long tail feathers could be boys, but only a pic will confirm, or a crow

 

[3riverschick]

when do they start laying eggs. i have 3 ss. One has a really short tail feathers and th othe 2 have long tail feathers

Hi Sabrina,
Check the back of the legs on the 2 with long tail feathers. Do you see any kind of a "bump" where spurs might be getting ready to come out? Do the scales look any different from the bird with the short tail feathers? I find my boy Light Sussex birds by watching for longer tail feathers. Also, the combs and wattles should be larger than on the female. Did these birds all come from the same hatch and were their parents related? Where did you get them from? We will figure this out, mile.
Thanks,
Karen
Waterford English Light Sussex,
PA, USA

 

[willsussex]

HI I HAVE A LOT OF LIGHT SUSSEX HENS BUT THEY HAVE NOT STARTED TO LAY ANY HELP

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[Clucksworth]

Hi, willsussex
How old are your hens?

Signs that a hen is coming into lay are pale legs and reddening waddles and comb (which yours have- and look very healthy). The age at which a hen comes into lay can depend on the weather, good weather and access to nice grass will bring them into lay quicker.

Also are you making sure your hen's are being fed layers mash/pellets, this will also bring on laying quicker and make sure they have adequate levels of calcium to lay eggs

 

[Triple Willow]

Hi everybody. I am new to Sussex but I bought a couple this year that were supposed to be Speckled. They are coming up on 5 weeks old and I am seriously doubting that they are Speckled. When I got them they were a creamy yellow color and now their feathers have come in as a yellowish-white with very little dark feathering at all. So what kind of Sussex do I have? Thanks for the help.

 

[Clucksworth]

Hi everybody. I am new to Sussex but I bought a couple this year that were supposed to be Speckled. They are coming up on 5 weeks old and I am seriously doubting that they are Speckled. When I got them they were a creamy yellow color and now their feathers have come in as a yellowish-white with very little dark feathering at all. So what kind of Sussex do I have? Thanks for the help.

They don't really sound like they're Speckled Sussex, I've also heard that you can get lighter versions of Speckled Sussex with almost buff colored feathers but they aren't good breed specimens.
My next guess would be that they could be Buff Sussex as you mentioned that their feathers are coming though as a creamy colour, but they could feasibly turn out to be any kind of chicken :S

 

[Triple Willow]

They don't really sound like they're Speckled Sussex, I've also heard that you can get lighter versions of Speckled Sussex with almost buff colored feathers but they aren't good breed specimens. 
My next guess would be that they could be Buff Sussex as you mentioned that their feathers are coming though as a creamy colour, but they could feasibly turn out to be any kind of chicken :S

 

[Triple Willow]

They don't really sound like they're Speckled Sussex, I've also heard that you can get lighter versions of Speckled Sussex with almost buff colored feathers but they aren't good breed specimens. 
My next guess would be that they could be Buff Sussex as you mentioned that their feathers are coming though as a creamy colour, but they could feasibly turn out to be any kind of chicken :S

Thanks Clucksworth. I am beginning to think they might be Light Sussex. I have noticed a small amount of black feathering around the neck. I picked them up at Tractor Supply. I think buying chicks at Tractor Supply is kind of like Forrest Gump's box of chocolates, "you never know what you get!" lol They seem to be nice chicks anyhow. Thanks again!