The Sussex thread!

[ldelahanty]

I think that 3 is a pullet and that one it is too early, two looks like a pullet as well. By 6 ans a half weeks my roo was obvious...the pic is my profile at 4 weeks and there are other ones posted. He is SS but they are similar.

 

[3riverschick]

number one looks like a light sussex/silver sussex split.
Karen

 

[phoenixrotts]

I have 9 SS that I purchase 2 weeks ago on two separate days, but from the same batch of birds that were shipped to my local feed store. I purchased a batch on Monday, and three more on that Wednesday. All but two have about equal feathering, including tail feathers coming in. If I didn't know better I'd swear the other two were a week younger than the rest. But as I said, they were purchased within two days of each other and from the same shipment of birds. These two have barely any tail feathers to speak of, and much less feathering on their wings. Any ideas why? Is this normal for some chicks to be so delayed in feathering?

 

[ldelahanty]

I have one SS pullet and one SS cockerel, there was no difference in feathering, the only way we could tell any difference was the comb, and then the crow at 7 weeks. Looking back, these are signs I missed: first, he was adventurous and his eting habits were different, he did not like to share, and when he ooh food out of he feeder he made a mess, he threw food to each side and then ate, I just thought he was picky. He was the leader, and was the first to offer suggestions on how to gt into trouble to he others. He would dance and seemed to corale the others. He was clearly the boss. He liked to sleep in the back or the front of he chick pile. He liked attention from our cat, he was really brave and sought out attention from the cat. He was always louder than the others. His feathering in the front, there was a ton more white on his chest, now this is also something that can happen in pullets, but from all of the chicks that I have seen people wondering if they are cockerels, most have the white chest. His coloring as a baby was redder than the brown of our pullet. This is my first experience with chicks, but the amount of research we have had to do, because this began as a three year study on backyard farming for a school project for my middle school age son. We have had to do a lot of watching of behaviors and watching behavior as it applies to environment. We have 6 chicks, 5 we will have for the entire three year experience. If you want to see the chicks, he has a FB page called Hunter's City Chicken. Hope you like his page, it is awesome. [/CODE]

 

[phoenixrotts]

I have seen your son's page, and watched his videos. They are awesome! My chicks are so young however that we haven't seen any of the behaviors that you mentioned. I'm wondering if these two aren't Welsummers? I'll try to get photos of them to post. Maybe someone can help me figure it out from the pictures. Thanks!

 

[phoenixrotts]

short tail.

plenty of wing feathers.

head/face of the short tail chick.

another short tail

and again, plenty of wing feathers.

Here is what the others look like, getting plenty of tail feathers.

and roughly the same amount of wing feathers.

 

[ldelahanty]

I agree, their coloring is different, but I do not know must about Welsummers. Oliver had a longer tail and feathered lie a pullet, everyone I talked to said the SS take a little longer to differentiate. We did a really funny thing with him, we would let him watch other roosters crow on YouTube and he loved to sit on our laps and watch it. It took him until he was 7 weeks old to crow.
Thanks for watching and liking Hunter's page. He is such a kind boy and he chickens have been great for him. Please keep us informed on your babies

 

[3riverschick]

Welsummer have yellow legs and feet, don't they? I know Sussex have pinkish white legs and feet.
Best,
Karen

 

[CatMom]

My welsummer had bright yellow feet even as an adolescent. She's about 9 or 10 months old now -started laying in March- still has bright yellow feet. I just got my first Speckled Sussex (supposed to be a pullet) which has pale pink/white feet.
QUESTION: my new 8 week old Sussex has feathers very low on her leg, almost to her feet - though not actually 'on' her toes as a Marans would: is this unusual? *I'll try and post photos later and poll you folks to see if I actually got a female. I'm reading here about how difficult this breed is to sex & am a little worried as I live in town and have a hens-only permit! (Would LOVE an excuse to move to "the country" tho' I think my extended family would think I'm bug-nuts if I told them I had to sell my house because of a bird! But I know You Folks understand, right?) ;-)

 

[ldelahanty]

I have not seen the feathering you are talking about, the feathers are lower that the "knee"? Seems strange, but sounds pretty. I agree about the feet color, my SS cockerel and Pullet both have pearly white legs.