The Sussex thread!

[fatcatx]

Ok so it doesn't matter what breed of rooster it would be? It would be ok to mate with a diffrent breed?

Different breeds mate just fine but I think you need to determine the purpose of your rooster. Is it for flock defense? Breeding for future chicks? (extras are harder to sell as mixed-chicks) Are you looking for particular traits in the chicks? Or do you just want a barnyard flock? (I'm not a breeder but I think these would be good questions to ask.) It sounds like you are just in it for good chicken fun? If you scour the forums, there are some good pics of crosses others have done if you are curious.

Quote: I figured if you can get egged, surely you can get roo'd.

 

[kimmerjo]

Ok great .my reason for getting chicken is eggs my husband's want baby chicks. So I will probably get a speckled roo and just let the female speckled have babies. Even tho I think it would be fun to mix and see what you get

 

[Metella]

Well - if you don't put much thought into the mix - you could get some traits that do really poorly in your climate - and then have chickens die in the summer or winter - whichever is worse for you ....

So if you are not really into the research - then I think you should stick with the same breed ... nothing wrong with that - and baby chicks of any type are too cute to take !

I usually wait until my birds have gone through every season (twice if I can wait that long) before I decide who I want to be mamma and pappa - that way I know they are hardy for my area.

 

[kimmerjo]

Yeah I won't try to have chick for a year or more I want to get to know the ropes first. This site is great I have learned a lot from it. I have read story's guide also .

 

[3riverschick]

Quote: Are you planning to sell chicks for money? It costs as much to feed and keep hatchery quality as t does good breeder quality. Plus, the breeder quality birds look more like the pics you see in books of the breed.

The reason I am asking is because the Speckled Sussex is the most difficult color to breed properly because it is a 3 colored breed. If you want to sell quality Speckled Sussex that people will want to buy, then you need to start out with a strain of show quality birds. It takes decades to set the speckled pattern on the proper proportions that people seek. The show lines have spent decades doing this.
You are in western New York? There are some nice shows in your area to see top birds. Speckled Sussex also come in bantam size. try the website to see the http://www.browneggblueegg.com/Shows.html dates of shows near you. There is a nice one Sept. 7th. There is also the parent Club , American Sussex Breeder Association. They have a breeder's directory where you can find someone near you.
http://americansussexbreeders.webs.com/newyorkmembers.htm
It is late in the year to get chicks in your area. The quality breeders have all closed their breeding pens for the year . But the good news is the breeders are downsizing their Spring hatches now for overwintering. You should be able to get some lovely stock at good prices. In Sussex, the best winter layers are March -hatched. These are the birds the breeders will be downsizing now. Good for you.
Best,
Karen

 

[Johnn]

 

[kimmerjo]

Thanks for the site info I'm sure yet about breeding to sell. just going to start with a " hobby farm " for eggs and meat for my family.

 

[3riverschick]

Quote: No problem. Might as well start with good quality stock. That way if you do decide to sell something, you will have a worthy product. Plus, you will get the traits for which the breed is famed.

Look for pure strain 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 them this time of year, they probably 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 end of Feb. thru end of March. It's too late in the year for that, obviously, however your best bet now would be to wait until the breeders start 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 line-bred to type, buy from the best and never cross them with any utility strain. The tricolor 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. Veteran breeders 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
Waterford English Sussex in western PA

 

[CatMom]

Wow... I'm fairly new to this chicken addiction, but I was given a sussex roo and he has totally won me over. However I would like to get a 'pet-quality' pullet or two to keep him company (my EE's give him no respect). Does anyone know where I can get-silver- sussex in/near central TN or west KY? Thank you.

 

[3riverschick]

Quote:
Do you have Light Sussex or Silver Sussex?
Thanks,
karen