The Poultry Keeper

mojo · Posted: Fri Sep 07, 2007 6:05 pm Post subject:

thanks gang i knew you would put an old fool right.........i will write it in my stock book for next spring.............thanks

Pyxel · Joined: 23 Mar 2007 Posts: 70 Location: Carlisle, England.

Hi Jane, did you keep the welsummer and light sussex cocks? How are they getting on? Any pics?

Magpie · Joined: 28 Aug 2007 Posts: 541 Location: Norfolk

These are my new light Sussex pullets, as you can see 2 of them have darker hackles than the others - but they also have some black in the white areas. The others are snowy white but don't have such good necks.

So....if I get a cockerel sometime, do I breed from the ones with the clean white or the ones with the stronger marked necks?

TIA

Tim

Sue B · Joined: 18 Oct 2005 Posts: 346 Location: Lincolnshire

Hi This won't answer your question but I'll tell you anyway.......... I have two LS. When they were pullets one had two or three black feathers on her back but after the moult a year later she lost them and now its very hard to tell them apart!!
Rolling Eyes

Magpie · Joined: 28 Aug 2007 Posts: 541 Location: Norfolk

Hi Sue, thanks for that Laughing

I suppose that was in the back of my mind as my Lakenvelders take a couple of years to settle down to the best plumage (3 complete moults I think).

Suppose I'll just have to wait and see Smile

Tim

Bradders · Joined: 13 Aug 2007 Posts: 714 Location: Cambs/Cornwall

Lovly picture there Magpie, Very Happy

Lovely birds aswell I like the light sussex's aswell as all my chickens. Smile

sunnysideuptoo · Joined: 12 Nov 2007 Posts: 2 Location: East Sussex

Hi I've been told that Ingrid is a Black Sussex. I cannot find any reference to Black Sussex chickens and haven't found any pictures of them either (just Silver and Light Sussex)- can anyone verify Ingrid for me (she's the one on the top). I imagine she's a hybrid/cross? She and Elna (not shown) are mainly black with silver/white markings on head and neck, they're big, bouncy girls with a friendly nature, with tendancies to broodiness! When the sun shines on their backs, they have a coppery green tinge to the feathers... absolutely gorgeous.

Also, can anyone identify what breed BettyBoop is likely to be, she's the white one!

Many thanks

bettyakimbo · Joined: 29 Aug 2007 Posts: 28 Location: county durham

is it normal to hve black feathers in the white areasof light sussex then? i was beginging to wonder if mine really were light sussex!

liz x

leghorn_guy · Joined: 24 Dec 2007 Posts: 13

brugge · Joined: 20 Dec 2007 Posts: 13 Location: Limousin France

some very nice pictures, anybody any idea at what age l could start to tell which are coqs and which are hens, any tell tale signs?

Wilt · Joined: 09 Nov 2006 Posts: 29

I thought I'd show my attempt at darkening my buffs. I found after the first and subequent years they became lighter and lighter. So I thought I would do something about and here they are.

And then my pen of silver sussex. One hpullet has a little willow in her leg, but I'm assured the white leg of the cock bird with be dominent.

kandm · Joined: 17 Jan 2007 Posts: 6

Hi,

We are after Light Sussex Bantam POLs.

We are near Thetford, Norfolk.

Does anyone have any or know of anyone who may in our area or who can get them to us?

Also, if anyone has any fencing or housing/sheds they are getting rid of, free or cheap we will be interested.

Thanks in advance.

Kate

blackandwhitechicken · Joined: 15 Feb 2008 Posts: 9 Location: Cornwall

Light Sussex are hard to sex until about 6-8 weeks, then the cockerels will have redder combs and wattles. They will also be more aggresive and sometimes bigger than the girls, but I cant say this is always the case. have tried to sex with feather shape, feathers on shoulders etc, but this is unreliable until they are about 8 weeks old.
I have some nice chunky purebred stock that have always been red mite and scaly leg free. Cant seem to get on top of lice however, always seem to be dusting...

Kitsune · Joined: 13 Mar 2008 Posts: 1048 Location: Manchester

What sort of a price would be suitable for light sussex that have been bred from show quality birds at 8 weeks and 18 weeks?

Obviously having SQ parents doesn't guarentee SQ offspring, can you tell at 18 weeks if they have good form or is that something that comes with maturity?

Thankyou!

blackandwhitechicken · Joined: 15 Feb 2008 Posts: 9 Location: Cornwall

There are so many variables, and different breeders will have different practices.
Personally, I dont think you can judge show quality at 8 weeks. Yes, you know the parentage, but some birds will just turn out better than others in the same batch. I currently have had a hatch of 12, of which all the pullets are okay, but 2 of the cockerels are magnificent (normally at 8 weeks they would be culled or put aside for fattening). Even at 8 weeks they are beautifully marked and a nice build...but this could still change - their combs and wattles are not fully developed, their adult plumagehas to come in and be judged.
The best hens I have only lookedmagnificent at about 20 weeks. It took till they came into lay for me to check out exactly how they would be. I am currently trying to breed replacements for my show girls but I cant get a heavy enough lacing around the neck in the pullets(its okay, but not as great as I want, but would still win prizes) Always hunting for perfection.
As to price - I suppose it is guided by what a person is willing to pay.
I currently sell hatching eggs for £1 each, growers have now gone up to £10 and POL to £14. For really good specimens I would be looking at £25.
I have a friend who sells Dorking Cockerels for £30 each!
But I think it is all about what a person is prepared to pay.