Speckled Sussex - Breeding to the SOP

[BigBlueHen53]

Some of my Speckled Sussex bantams have more of a partridge coloring, others have white and rusty red feathers coming in. They're almost 6 weeks old, will they all wind up looking about the same?
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My SS didn't have any white on them at any stage of development, except for their little white speckles. I would not breed these.

 

[BigBlueHen53]

I will try to get some pics of mine tomorrow or Thursday, weather permitting. We're expecting severe wx tomorrow for sure, so no promises.

 

[gwells1980]

Quick Update Photos of The Earl Grey and The Lady Grey



For me it is finally official, Sussex is my favorite breed. Sorry Orpingtons they narrowly beat you out! How can you look at Lady and Earl and think anything else. For me the best breed needs to do the following; produce eggs well but doesn't have to be an egg factory like most hybrids, looks amazing like Lady and Earl, and have a great personality to match. My Sussex is like having a little smaller Orpington but without wanting to sit on eggs every week. Follows me around like a puppy and has never tried to attack me or my 3 year old, even when she chases the rooster around the yard.

Also, her test eggs will be hatching in 7 days! Down to the final week!

Sussex for the win!

 

[gwells1980]

Time for an UPDATE!

Lady and Earl are living the life, not much has changed. (My main breeding project Rooster and Hen)

Buffy (Buff Orpington) has started using a brooder nest away from Saphron and Lady - she is acting like she wants to sit on some eggs.

And Saphron (Sapphire Gem) did it AGAIN! 100gram egg. - Double yolker - that egg is currently being used as the binder in a pan of Fudge Brownies.

Amazing news now! - We have 2 early chicks - hatched on day 20. Both piped early this morning and finished hatching within the last hour. One is noticeably darker than the other. Can't wait to see how they turn out. Anyone know if males or females are born darker than the other? Kinda like sex-linked? I haven't hatched Sussex's before.

Better pictures to come as they dry off and fluff up.

These were from the test batch to check fertility and her ability to make baby chicks.... SUCCESS!

Can't wait to get her next batch in the incubator at the end of this week.

 

[Honey Meadows]

Sussex have a flat back slightly sloping to 45 degree tail set. Moderately large head with stout beak. Cock- 9lbs, hen 7.5 lbs. Cockerel 7.5, pullet 6.

That should get you going, hatch a lot then cull for body type. Size and silhouette.

Speckled is mahogany with every feather tip white and black band lower web of feather. Main tail feathers are black and white; sickle and coverts are black with lustrous green shine and white tip.

 

[Honey Meadows]

I meant to add a caption and see if anyone in the thread thinks my guy looks ok to breed. I think he's handsome, but I'm not sure if he's completely correct. He is 7 months old.

 

[DrumlinPoint]

Do you know if or how chick coloring corresponds to adult plumage?

I have one chick that's very yellow:
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I have been raising bantam speckled sussex for 6.years. My best birds start out as chicks that are a solid gold colored. Some people's lines have chipmunk stripes, but I select against those. Where did you get your chicks?

 

[triciayoung]

Hello! and I hope you follow along and enjoy this breeding plan.

PLEASE OFFER SUGGESTIONS AND CRITICISM WHERE NEEDED! Don't worry about pulling punches, I'm a grown man, I can take it.

To start I am going to say I first saw the Speckled Sussex chicken when I was 14 years old (I am now 42) and have since that day wanted to raise some. Somehow every time I was about to get one something would happen that would make it impossible for me to get it. They were always more of a unicorn than a chicken to me, beautiful to look at but impossible to catch. Until tonight.

A wonderful couple in Southeast Ohio had an amazing male and female pair and after about 6 hours of haggling, was willing to trade them to me plus a really nice Buff Orpington Hen for 2 Sapphire Gem Pullets and 2 Light Brahma Pullets for his breeding project. (He has the largest Light Brahma rooster I have ever seen, I believe they are wanting to breed some super-giant brahmas! 1 of the pullets I traded him is 6 months old and already was pushing 7 pounds, she will be massive as well. Good match.)

Please take time to look at the pictures, I will post better ones tomorrow I got them home late, and tell me what you think.

Rooster (Name - Champ) - 2 Years Old
1st - We had a vicious winter this year as everyone knows, and the Rooster suffered frostbite on his comb. Instead of letting it stay with the damage it could cause him, they chose to remove the narcotic tissue. So now his comb looks very NON-SOP - He can never be showed now but that is okay, he is going to be used as the breeding rooster in my project.
2nd - He doesn't appear to have a lot of white speckles on him from the angle of the original pictures but his chest does have a lot. Better pictures to come.


The Hen (Name - Rose) - 1 Year Old
Please look her over and tell me what you think. What traits should I try and emphasize and do you notice any problem areas.

IF ANYONE HAS THE S.O.P. FOR SPECKLED SUSSEX PLEASE SEND IT TO ME. I have looked and can't seem to find it.

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[fuzzi]

I meant to add a caption and see if anyone in the thread thinks my guy looks ok to breed. I think he's handsome, but I'm not sure if he's completely correct. He is 7 months old.

Beautiful!

I don't know if you'll get show quality if you breed him, but so what? Enjoy.

 

[DrumlinPoint]

Some of my Speckled Sussex bantams have more of a partridge coloring, others have white and rusty red feathers coming in. They're almost 6 weeks old, will they all wind up looking about the same?
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In my line of bantam SS, the birds with the white breasts at this age are typically cockerels. Looks like you have quite a few of them. I see that you have them banded. Take notes on what you see at various stages and then compare with what you see when they become adults. You can learn a lot that way.