The Poultry Keeper

Magpie · Joined: 28 Aug 2007 Posts: 644 Location: Norfolk

I wouldn't call that an LS - might be a hybrid or just a throwback. Lovely RIR though Laughing

Tim

Tarka · Joined: 21 Dec 2007 Posts: 401

Could it be a cross between a White Buff Orpington and Light Sussex ?

marmitegirl · Joined: 02 Sep 2008 Posts: 12

I really don't know what he is but sadly i think I'll be looking for a new home for him if he starts crowing Crying or Very sad

newby · Joined: 11 Feb 2008 Posts: 143 Location: Dordogne

interesting as I have these

and this is Dad!! both hens are light sussex, so where did these come from, they are about 10 weeks, I've been told they are buff sussex, but can I get them from light parents. Sussex are so nice to keep though.

newby · Joined: 11 Feb 2008 Posts: 143 Location: Dordogne

I know you are all going to think I'm daft but......
I have these two young pullets from (as far as I'm aware) light sussex parents ,see previous post. Well... I've had a long look at them, and would like to ask you, the experts, could they be bantam buff sussex. They are starting to get the sussex black feathers on their necks and wings, they are getting the same shape, stubby tail etc, and really look just like miniature sussex, except they should be big and white. Can you get bantams from full size birds, will they throw little chicks or will they be full size.

JC · Joined: 24 Mar 2008 Posts: 1101 Location: Sussex

Large fowl Sussex wont produce bantam sized sussex. You may get a throw back every now and again that are slightly smaller.

greentree · Joined: 08 Jun 2007 Posts: 175 Location: Wicklow - Ireland

I am looking for some buff sussex hatching eggs. These are very hard to acquire over here! If anyone is interested, could you let me know? I will travel to the UK and pick them up myself!

(BTW, you would need to be near a major airport)

Woodburner · Posted: Fri Oct 17, 2008 12:24 am Post subject:

newby, I suspect that your cockerel isn't a pure breed. I reckon that he's a cross between a red cockerel or hen and light sussex.* Whichever way the match is done the male progeny will be white (silver), but they will only have one silver gene (which is sufficient for them to appear silver). I don't know about the rest of LS traits but it is reasonable to expect that some will look just like pure LS.
Mating such a cockerel (with only one silver gene) to a silver hen (such as LS) will give silver cockerels and 50/50 red or silver hens.

As, similarly, 50% of the cockerels will only have one silver gene, you would have to breed from them, to find out which ones have two copies. (All offspring would be white, not sure how many you would need to hatch to be 100% sure.)

This raises an interesting question:
how many generations must have all the appropriate traits, before the offspring can be considered 'pure bred'?

Edit:*It is possible that your cockerel was a product of a silver cockerel with only one silver gene, i.e. the only indication that he might not be pure would have been that some of his sisters were red.

Lisleoise · Posted: Fri Oct 17, 2008 7:39 am Post subject:

That is interesting. I have the son of Newby's cockerel which I will be breeding from in the spring, all being well, with my LS hens that as far as I know are pure breed bought from the Cooperative Agricole. We'll have to wait and see what colour they come out! I'm not too bothered if they're not 100% pure breed as long as they taste good Wink

Woodburner · Posted: Fri Oct 17, 2008 9:07 am Post subject:

Hen-Gen · Posted: Fri Oct 17, 2008 11:47 am Post subject:

So you should, woodburner. Its one I've scratched my head about too. I have some birds that are 1/32nd Blue Jersey Giant and 31/32nds Silver Duckwing Welsummer. (I wanted to breed in the blue gene). At what point can I reasonably claim that they are a new colour of Welsummer?

newby · Joined: 11 Feb 2008 Posts: 143 Location: Dordogne

Thanks for all that, I understand now that I've possibly got a X bred cock. I bought him from the local Jardiniere as a LS together with the hens. I have 3 young cocks here from him, and all have much darker necks. They are big strong birds, so not too bothered, but I'd better let people know who've bought them as LS that they may not breed true to type.
Just as a matter of interest, out of 12 chicks this year, I have only the two odd ones. I have had both cocks and hens from him and they all look just like LS.

JC · Joined: 24 Mar 2008 Posts: 1101 Location: Sussex

I am interested in hatching some sussex bantams next spring, i know someone locally who breeds buff sussex bantams and i can easily get light sussex bantams. When you breed Buff to light do they sex link? Thanks

Hen-Gen · Posted: Sun Oct 19, 2008 2:42 pm Post subject:

They do. It has to be Buff Cockerel X Light Pullet. Won't work the opposite way round.

JC · Joined: 24 Mar 2008 Posts: 1101 Location: Sussex

Thanks, i wonder if Sussex bantam coqs are paticularly noisey?