The Sussex thread!

[estamets]

A cute story:
I took the 4 girls outside for their first group excursion today, on a little green patch of weeds.Our Speckled spent the whole 30 minutes looking at her belly, trying to figure out what was tickling her belly and legs.

She may not be our brightest...

 

[Mr MKK FARMS]

A cute story:
I took the 4 girls outside for their first group excursion today, on a little green patch of weeds.Our Speckled spent the whole 30 minutes looking at her belly, trying to figure out what was tickling her belly and legs.

She may not be our brightest...

Haha! That is cute.

 

[ochochicas]

A cute story:
I took the 4 girls outside for their first group excursion today, on a little green patch of weeds.Our Speckled spent the whole 30 minutes looking at her belly, trying to figure out what was tickling her belly and legs.

She may not be our brightest...

Our Sussex is not the brightest crayon in the box, either. Today i was out of town and it was pouring down rain when it was time for the chicks to come in. DH tried to catch them all, but the Sussex would have nothing to do with him. When I pulled in the driveway at dusk she was standing in the yard in the rain wondering what kind of trick we were playing.

 

[ochochicas]

I'm a little miffed, ok, a lot miffed and need to vent a little. I ordered 15 (the minimum) SS day olds from a small hatchery. I can't complain about the condition of the chicks. I did lose 2 in the first 2 days, but I think that's the risk of shipping chicks and I was reimbursed for both. But as they've grown, I've been watching them get more and more white. They're 8 weeks now and some are more white than mahogany. One has a white body and a mahogany back. I didn't expect SQ birds, but I don't think they are all pure SS. I found out the pictures on the web site aren't her birds. All of these birds (I think most are cockerels) will be going. After I ordered them, I found hatching eggs from someone else. They are 4 weeks and look so much better in every way. I own my own business and I'd be out of business if I treated my clients like this. I can't decide if I should contact the person or just let it go. Sorry for the negative post, but thanks for listening.

Do you have any pics of them? If I were you I'd try to ID the breed of the birds and then ask the seller for a refund. It seems like some of them do have more white on them than others. I'm kind of in the same boat as you. I bought Welsummers and ended up with breeds I didn't want (like a sussex). I'm not sure what to do with my SS pullet. I'll wait and see what kind of layer she is before we decide to keep her or not. Fifteen is a lot of birds to feed if it isn't want you planned to raise.

 

[Johnn]

I am very bothered about this hatch because its in my home-made incubator.

I'm only ever not bothered about mine when I don't want anymore. And I could never make a homemade one! Let me know if anything hatches!

 

[gevshiba]

This one has all pin feathers on it's back. They look like they are coming in white, but we'll see.

The one in the back has white coming in on both wings. Then there's the one in front. Yikes!

 

[insanity]

All the hatchery SS I have ordered went through a "white" stage. Mostly on the chest and a little on the wings.They all turned out fine.

This is last years chick and she was about 35% white as a juvenile. Her brother had even more white on him for awhile. I would wait and see. Good luck.

 

[Mr MKK FARMS]

Quote: Will do!

 

[roosterking]

Ive Got 6 11 week old Sussexs. I just want to know when will they get there white specks. Mine dont have no white in them at all.

 

[ochochicas]

Ive Got 6 11 week old Sussexs. I just want to know when will they get there white specks. Mine dont have no white in them at all.

Are yours speckled sussex or some other variety?

I'm no expert, but my Sussex started getting white on her neck at 4 weeks. She also had one or two white feathers on each wing. (That is how we knew she isn't really a Welsummer, LOL) By six weeks she had white on her neck, chest, and on her head. At 7 weeks her face was almost entirely white around the beak and eyes. if you look closely at the feathers there is a black bar above the white area that separates the brown from the white.

Here is a pic at 6 weeks. If yours don't have white, they might not be SS.