Sussex question???

schnapper · **Posted:** Mon Sep 17, 2007 8:27 pm

This is where I show my lack of knowledge :oops:

with a stupid question....
I have some Light Sussex chooks and a Rooster.
A quick description... white with black feathers around the neck, they are about the size of a football with legs.
I was recently at a chook farm that had the same chooks but they were nearly as big as turkeys! The proprieter insisted they were also Light Sussex.
I thought the bantam version (my ones) were called Light Sussex and the heavy breed version were simply called Sussex.
Can someone please enlighten me.... :?:

Thanks in advance.

courta93 · **Posted:** Mon Sep 17, 2007 8:50 pm

Hi, you can get bantams of all breeds i.e Light Sussex. There is the normal sized chicken, and then there is the smaller version, which is the bantams.

You can get different coloured Sussex chickens. For example, you have the "Light" Sussex, but you can also get "Coronation" Sussex, which has a white body with light grey feathers around the neck. Then you can get "Speckled" Sussex which has a black body with speckles of different colours all over.

All of these Sussex, and many other chicken breeds have the normal sized chicken and then the bantams, which are smaller. Your Light sussex chickens and the other person you were talking about, you both have the same breed, you just have the smaller version.

HOPE THIS HELPS!!! :-D

Peacocks Australia · **Joined:** Wed Jan 02, 2002 9:14 am **Posts:** 310755

To our knowledge, they come in eight colours? (with a couple more being developed) and have a bantam version at 1/4 size; the bantams may be any of the seven colours? Snowball will be able to give you more Info.

Thanks
Peacocks Australia :lol:

schnapper · **Posted:** Mon Sep 17, 2007 11:19 pm

Thanks guys. I thought "Light" meant "Lightbreed". :oops:

I was kinda freaked out by the size of the larger specimens. I didn't realise chooks got so big. Now I understand how people can put geese and duck eggs under a broody chook.
I couldn't do that with my little bantams....the poor dears would roll off! :lol:

Peacocks Australia · **Joined:** Wed Jan 02, 2002 9:14 am **Posts:** 310755

Schnapper, we use Silkie & Pekin Bantams to Incubate Peafowl eggs and they usually do a great job. We will put up to 4 eggs under a bantam with little issues. Some breeds of chooks are big, have you seen "Orpingtons"

Thanks
Peacocks Australia :lol:

snowbald · **Posted:** Wed Sep 19, 2007 10:59 am

Hi all, Just correcting a slight error that courta93 made in regards to the colour of speckled sussex----they are not black with speckles of different colours all over. :!:

The true colouring for the speckle sussex is via feathers of brilliant mahogany,tipped in white with a black bar dividing the white from the mahogany. I'm going to try an upload some pic's of feathers into my gallery.

Regards,
Snowball :-D

schnapper · **Posted:** Wed Sep 19, 2007 11:18 am

I now realise how big chooks can be! :oops:

Unfortunately my two Pekin/Sussex cross hens that have just gone broody have both got 5 eggs under them already....
I have three goose eggs in a home made incubator (my first try at artificial incubation so not getting my hopes up) but have left the latest three eggs where the goose has started her nest in the hope she will sit on them. At the rate she's laying though it will be at least a couple of weeks before she has a clutch of 8 or more eggs. Her nest is just a depression in the long grass. Will the eggs survive being out in the elements for that long? :?:

courta93 · **Posted:** Wed Sep 19, 2007 12:58 pm

Sorry Snowball, the first time I saw a Speckled Sussex was a couple of days ago, at the first poultry auction that I've been to. That's just what they looked like, because I was just having a really quick look.

SORRY!!! :oops:

snowbald · **Posted:** Wed Sep 19, 2007 5:16 pm

Hi courta93, Don't feel embarred or sorry these things happen.I was not having a shot at you but just wanted to set the record straight in case others were looking to buy speckles. Best regards,
Snowball :-D

courta93 · **Posted:** Wed Sep 19, 2007 6:26 pm

That's OK Snowball, no offence taken!!! :-D

I hope I didn't sound too upset, because I wasn't! :-D

Courta93!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
:lol:

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