The Sussex thread!

[cherylcohen]

Buff sussex question - 5 weeks old both from Greenfire farms

Any ideas about the huge variation in color... here are more pictures of the two of them http://gallery.me.com/cheryl3355#100420

 

[JanieMarie]

Are they all supposed to be buffs?

 

[cherylcohen]

just the two to the left, dark one in front and lighter one with black hackles. Greenfire told me they are both buff...hmmmmm

 

[Inkheart]

I am no expert on Sussex - YET- but in my experience it seems there are always varying degrees of Buffs? I watch my friends Cochins and those buffs go from almost light golden cream to almost deep chestnut colored - perhaps this is the case with these babies????

 

[cherylcohen]

Quote:
Really wow I've never seen such a variance before, they told me maybe it was a sex thing, but that doesn't look like it to me...The expert sussex breeders can hopefully weigh in...

I'm just using these for eggs. I wanted some new pretty girls to look at...

 

[Inkheart]

Yes in his cochins he can breed a Roo and a hen together - both of the same color/shade of buff - and gets a wide variance on the tone and color intensity of the buff

 

[JanieMarie]

Ive never had variation like that. The underfluff can be either buff or slate with buff being preferred but slate not being a DQ and there may be slight degrees of lighter and darker hues of buff but I've never seen white before. I would guess that to be a cross and I would call Paul and bring it to his attention in case it is a cross. Regardless you want buff color not white so I would not use that one for breeding imho.

 

[cherylcohen]

Quote:
Yep I sent pictures early on and just sent him pictures again today, thanks

 

[JanieMarie]

Did you get them as chicks or eggs?

Kathy - Beautiful birds as always!!

Also I live in MN and other than a few frostbit points on one roos comb last winter they haven't seemed to mind the cold any more or less than my wyandottes. If temps are going to be in the teens I spread some straw on the snow toss em some scratch and they all go out to play! My buffs are ALWAYS the last ones to come in at night. If it's going to be 10* or below I turn on a heat lamp in each coop and haven't seen any ill effects. They survived temps of -35* last winter and I expect they'll have to this winter too! UGH!

 

[cherylcohen]

I got them as chicks and they were different then too