What is the difference between sussex and light sussex

So as the name suggests, the Light Sussex originated in Sussex, England. It has been recognised as a standard breed there since the early 20th Century and was accepted as a licenced breed in America in the s.

The Light Sussex was bred to be a "dual purpose" breed, producing a steady number of large eggs and a good amount of meat, to cope with public demand. In the s, though, it was replaced by specially bred broiler chickens, who mature unnaturally quickly so were more in demand commercially.

The Light Sussex remains one of the best breeds for both eggs and meat, but matures too slowly to be regarded as a good commercial chicken.

So luckily, the breed's popularity means it's remained and celebrated as both a reliable, family friendly backyard chicken, and a dashing show bird. As a newly-hatched chick, the Light Sussex is the typical yellow, fluffy ball of cuteness most people think of when they imagine a baby chicken.

Even at that young age - this chick of mine was just a couple of days old when I took this picture - they're friendly and have an interested, inquisitive look. As they grow, the characteristic black neck, wing and tail feathers begin to show fairly quickly - you can just see them starting to develop on this same chick only ten days later And again, at two months.

The neck feathers are now developing well, and the tail feathers are starting to develop. As an adult, the tail feathers will have a beautiful blue sheen in the sunlight. As an adult, the Light Sussex's black feathering at the neck called the hackle feathers , wings and tail, together with its graceful stature, make this a very striking breed.

Notice the orange eyes which are another characteristic of the Light Sussex, and the short, feather-free legs and feet set quite wide apart. The lack of feathers on the legs and feet makes them unlikely to harbour mites , and means they're very easy to care for.

This breed lays large, light coloured eggs. It is also an excellent bird for 4H projects too. The Sussex is a fine breed for the backyard poultry keeper. As we have already noted they are great foragers so they keep your feed bill to a minimum. A Rhode Island Red rooster over a Sussex hen will give you chicks that are easily identifiable from hatching.

These lovely birds are extremely popular in Canada, England and Australia. They are now starting to be more common here in the US with the Speckled, Light and Coronation varieties leading the way. We hope you will consider adding this delightful and personable bird to your flock. If you already have some please let us know all about them in the comments section below…. Happy Easter!

I love my two Sussex, my first ever chickens, one silver and one white. So friendly, even follow me indoors, ver chatty and love it when I am in the garden with them. Thank you from England for this article. Love my 4 Sussex; one light buff, one buff and two speckled. I have 3 R. They are producing 3 eggs daily and have been for some considerable time.

As a beginner to poultry I am well satisfied with them and would recommend them to any new starter. Believe this cross is sometimes known as Goldline. Thank you for all the info you send me all the time.

And yes i do love my three little girls. And Happy Easter to you. What kind of treats can you give without your hens gaining to much weight? I like to give a little treats to my hen when collecting eggs. Hey, I have a LS we have 4, they are all different breeds called Pearlie! She is awesome and lays the sweetest little eggs… She will always sit for ages, is there any chance of her going broody?

I have 2 light Sussex and there doing fine, but the eggs are small. Hi Thaddeus, How old are they? Generally when they are young and just start laying their eggs will be smaller. I have English strain Light Sussex. I am a very small breeder working to refine my show strain. From my experiences they can glide but nothing like the golden laced wyandotte, which I just saw glide yards the other day.

Just had my first Sussex egg! Oh my!!!! The best egg I have ever eaten! The whites are fluffy and the yolks are wonderful!! Love these hens!!!!! Sussex are ideal if you fancy a DIY Sunday roast. They are one of the best purebreds for meat production and can be crossed with a red-plumaged rooster if you want autosexing chicks. The females are remarkably docile and make reliable broody hens. If you decide to keep a rooster check he does not have attitude.

Light Sussex males vary greatly in temperament. Is this too big for your backyard?