what to feed sussex chickens

1. Feeding and Nutrition. There is no doubt about the fact that Sussex loves their food. Scratch grain, mealworms, scraps, you name it, they love it.
2. Housing and Fencing. Since Sussex are a larger breed they do require a bit more space than some birds. 4-5 square feet per bird in the house is ideal.
3. Health Issues and Care. Sussex are very hardy birds and not very susceptible to many health issues at all. ...
4. Breeding. If you choose to breed Sussex, you should find them a fun bird to breed. ...

Full Answer

How much do Sussex chickens eat?

Each Sussex chicken will eat about a ¼lb food per day. You can either schedule feeding time or free feed them. It is recommend you free feed this breed as they are not know for over eating. Make sure you read our chicken feeder buyer’s guide for feeder advice,

Is a Sussex a good chicken for beginners?

The Sussex is a great starter chicken for novices because of the ease of care for this particular breed. It is also an excellent bird for 4H projects too. The Sussex is a fine breed for the backyard poultry keeper.

How to take care of Sussex chickens in winter?

You can use petroleum jelly on their comb and wattles during winter to prevent frostbite. Each Sussex chicken will eat about a ¼lb food per day. You can either schedule feeding time or free feed them. It is recommend you free feed this breed as they are not know for over eating.

What are speckled Sussex chickens good for?

Plus, Speckled Sussex chickens can be raised as dual-purpose birds, which is a major draw for people who want to get a bit more for their time and money. Not only does the Speckled Sussex lay a ton of eggs, but the bird can also produce a fine-tasting meat for the dinner table.

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How do you take care of a Sussex chicken?

Each Sussex will need 4 square feet of coop space. If you are raising them with more assertive breeds then they will need even more (6 square feet) space since they can be picked on by some of the more aggressive birds. As for roosting space give them at least 8 inches each – the more the better.

Are Sussex chickens Hardy?

Sussex are very hardy birds and not very susceptible to many health issues at all.

What age do Sussex chickens start laying?

around eight months oldEgg Laying Sussex hens can lay between 200-250 light brown eggs per year. That is around 4 eggs per week per hen! They usually begin laying at around eight months old, which is later than other breeds. Sussex are a great breed if you want eggs all year around.

How long do Sussex chickens take to mature?

about 20 weeksSpeckled Sussex chickens reach maturity a bit faster than birds of similar breeds. It generally only needs to be about 20 weeks or so to be ready to lay eggs and generally produce a decent-sized carcass for the dinner table at this time, too, if you decide to raise them for meat.

Are Sussex chickens noisy?

Speckled Sussex A dual-purpose breed, the Sussex comes in a variety of colors, including lavender, buff, brown, light, silver, red, white, and, of course, speckled. As a result, this breed of chicken is one of the most popular as well as one of the calmest. You won't hear a lot of noise from this gorgeous bird!

Are Sussex chickens heat tolerant?

Sussex are all around hardy, especially in the cold. Summer heat is tolerated as long as they have shady spots to rest in and of course, access to cool water. They are non-aggressive birds; even the roosters are reported to be mellow.

How can you tell if a speckled Sussex chick is male or female?

2:426:53Sexing Speckled Sussex chicks for beginners! And moving them out to ...YouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipSee that look at those feet. See how he curves. Them up and this one's all stiff. Really look at himMoreSee that look at those feet. See how he curves. Them up and this one's all stiff. Really look at him look at his feathers.

How big do Sussex chickens get?

Size and Weight As previously mentioned the Sussex is quite a large bird. Roosters will weigh around 8 pounds and hens will be 6-7 pounds. You can also find bantam varieties which weigh 36oz (rooster) and 30oz (hen).

What time of day do chickens lay eggs?

sunriseHens generally lay eggs within six hours of sunrise -- or six hours of artificial light exposure for hens kept indoors. Hens without exposure to artificial lighting in the hen house will stop laying eggs in late fall for about two months. They begin laying again as the days lengthen.

What is the friendliest chicken breed?

Top 8 Friendliest Chicken Breeds – Best Pet ChickensJersey Giants.Speckled Sussex.Buff Orpington.Australorp Chicken.Faverolle.Silkies.Cochin Chicken.Wyandotte Chicken.

How much is a Sussex chicken?

Sussex Chicken PriceEggs$10 per egg.Chicks$25 each.Oct 30, 2020

What color eggs do Sussex lay?

A regal-looking bird, the Sussex is a dual-purpose breed. Because of their larger size, with females weighing around 7 pounds and males weighing in around 9 pounds, Sussex work well as meat birds, but are also good mothers and good layers of approximately 250 large, pale pinkish eggs per year.

What are Sussex chickens good for?

Use: A general purpose breed for producing meat and/or eggs. One of the best of the dual purpose chickens, a good all-around farm fowl.

Are Sussex hens good layers?

Eggs for the People Don't let their aristocratic pedigree fool you, Sussex hens are very learned in the art of laying an egg. They are good and regular layers, rare for purebred hens, and one hen in your brood will supply you with 200 to 250 brilliant brown or tinted eggs per year.

How many eggs do Sussex chickens lay a year?

It may be kept as a dual-purpose bird. Hens lay some 180–200 tinted eggs per year; some layer strains may give up to 250. The eggs weigh about 60 g. The Sussex is also reared for showing.

Are Light Sussex good layers?

Light Sussex - Use A person owning a hen of this breed should expect approximately 240 to 260 eggs a year (from 180 to 320 eggs), although the light and white varieties are the best choice for layers.

Why is the Sussex chicken a good starter chicken?

The Sussex is a great starter chicken for novices because of the ease of care for this particular breed.

How much should a Sussex hen weigh?

Bantam Sussexs should weigh between 2-4lb.#N#The Sussex is a low maintenance, no fuss sort of bird and will not require any special handling or treatments.

What was the finest eating fowl at the time?

The Sussex was considered the finest of the eating fowl at that time. Although the broilers surpassed the Sussex in demand, the Sussex never really went away. It was pushed aside for a faster maturing bird but was still sought after by those who were more traditionalists – and so the Sussex endured.

What is a 1928 Sussex?

1928 – Light. The Sussex can be described as a heavy, soft feathered breed with close fitting feathers . There are several different colorations of plumage for the Sussex: Speckled – as its name implies, a beautifully mahogany and white speckled plumage that gets better with successive molts.

What is the temperament of a Sussex?

Temperament and Disposition. The Sussex is described as a docile but confident and friendly bird that is easy to handle. They love to forage and are very good at it, gathering much of their needs from the garden which makes them thrifty hens.

What color were the Romans' chickens?

Of course, at that time they looked nothing like the chicken of today. It is thought that the original colors were speckled and possibly a brown/reddish color . Over time they were bred with the fowl that the Romans brought with them.

What color are hens?

A white bird with light blue (lavender) neck and tail feathers. Brown – deeper coloring than the red. This hen has a partridge pattern to its feathers. Buff – buff with black neck and tail feathers. Red – deep red, similar to a Rhode Island Red coloring. Silver – black with silver penciling especially in the breast area.

History of the Sussex Chicken Breed

The Roman invasion of Britain brought about a few interesting things, one being chickens and breeding skills, which were highly adopted especially in Kent, Sussex, and Surrey. These areas were known for their great fowl.

Sussex Chicken Characteristics

The Sussex chickens have broad bodies, white feet, shanks, and skin. Graceful with a broad flat back, the Sussex has wide shoulders and a breastbone that is straight. It has a single red comb. The ear lobes are also red in color. The eyes are orange in lighter varieties and red in darker varieties.

Physical Appearance of Sussex Chickens

Classified as a large fowl with soft feathers, the Sussex chicken has close-fitting feathers. They have a broad flat back. They boast of a broad breast that is held outward, held together by a deep long, and straight breast bone, that supports its wide shoulders.

Varieties of the Sussex Chicken Breed

The Sussex chicken breed has 8 recognized varieties that are recognized by both the American Poultry Associations’ Standards of Perfection and the British Poultry Associations Standards. These are:-

The temperament of Sussex Chickens

Sussex chickens are friendly chickens. They are gentle and will readily accept to be carried and cuddled. Due to their calm nature, they can easily be bullied by other chickens. It is advisable to protect them by not putting them together with chickens that can easily bully them.

Feeding Sussex Chickens

Sussex chickens readily enjoy treats. They will adore you for giving them sumptuous treats. In addition to treats, Sussex chickens will need a balanced chicken feed, consisting of 16% protein among other important nutrients.

Housing Sussex Chickens

Sussex chickens, classified as a large chicken breed will need more space than small and medium-sized birds. It is recommended to have at least four square feet per Sussex chicken in the coop. This gives the chickens space to move around and do their stuff, without getting stressed due to congestion.

What do I need to keep chickens?

You’ll need a coop! Somewhere for them to live is top of the list, Sussex require a roost height of 2-4ft so a coop well of the floor is needed I’d recommend this

Where did the Sussex breed originate?

The Sussex is a very old English breed, which originated in the County of Sussex more than a century ago. It was exhibited in the 1840’s the first recorded colour being the spangled or speckled. It was primarily bred for market purposes, Sussex being famed for its production of table fowls. Probably Britain’s most popular breed, most people can recognise the distinctive plumage of the Light Sussex.

Is a chicken a good bird?

They are alert and upright but also very docile, so make great backyard pets. Good with children too and make a great chicken breed for beginners or someone new to keeping chickens. They are an all-round good bird, as they are so easy to keep and are very hardy.

What color is a Sussex chicken?

This pattern of coloration provides excellent camouflage, as does the comb, earlobes, and wattles of the bird – all of which are red. The chicken has a single comb and a horn-colored beak along with short, muscular legs. Speckled Sussex chickens have broad, flat backs and chests along white feet, legs, and skin.

How many eggs do Sussex chickens lay?

Although it is a dual-purpose chicken, it still has excellent egg production. The average hen will lay up to 250 eggs each year, or about four or five eggs each week. Hens mature at around 20 weeks of age.

What are the characteristics of a Speckled Sussex chicken?

Behavioral Characteristics. Speckled Sussex chickens are known for being exceptionally inquisitive and curious. They aren’t timid in the slightest and will instead follow you around the chicken yard. They do, however, occasionally get picked on by the rest of the flock.

What angle do Sussex hens sit?

Their tails sit at 45-degree angles and their legs remain bare instead of growing feathers. An interesting feature of the Speckled Sussex chicken is that, as it molts, its speckles multiply. Each year, your flock of SPeckled Sussex hens will have more and more spots for you to behold.

How much does a Speckled Sussex weigh?

With hens weighing in at up to eight pounds and roosters tipping the scales at eleven, the Speckled Sussex chicken breed is definitely not one of the smallest! This is part of what makes it such a great chicken for the dinner table. The first breed standard for the Speckled Sussex was created in 1902.

How many eggs do Speckled Sussex chickens lay per year?

Not only is this bird nice to look at, but it also has the potential to be a productive member of your flock, averaging a respectable 250 eggs per year.

What was the original purpose of the Speckled Sussex?

Although these chickens were originally bred for meat – and eventually became leaders in meat production in the United States for many years – larger, faster-growing broiler hens eventually dominated the scene and pushed the Speckled Sussex to the side.

What kind of combs do Sussex chickens have?

Sussex chickens have medium-size single combs and wattles, reddish bay eyes, red earlobes, and white shanks and feet.

How many varieties of Sussex chickens are there?

Sussex chickens come in 7 different varieties:

What kind of chickens are good for a backyard keeper?

However, these chickens are also an exceptional choice for the modern backyard keeper. Sussex chickens have such a sweet disposition, they will win your heart and become a part of your family.

Why are Sussex chickens so noisy?

Sussex chickens do tend to be a bit noisier than many other breeds. This is mostly because they are very social and, therefore, chatty.

How much does a Sussex chicken weigh?

The bird has a market weight of 6-7.5 lbs. Some strains of Sussex chickens will be better meat birds than others.

What kind of Sussex is camouflaged?

Many varieties of Sussex camouflage well in most areas, such as the Speckled and Buff Sussexes. In the photo below, you can see a beautifully camouflaged Speckled Sussex in a wooded area. She blends in much better than her Easter Egger friend.

What kind of chicks have different colors?

Different varieties of Sussex chicks will have different down colors. See the video below for the Speckled Sussex variety.

History and Background of The Sussex Chicken

Sussex Standard and Appearance

Temperament and Disposition

Sussex Egg Laying Capability

• Egg laying ability varies with the particular variety of Sussex that you choose, but in general the Sussex will supply you with 4-5 large brown eggs every week. The really great thing is that they will continue to lay through the winter when most other hens have shut down production for the year. It has been said the only time they take a break is ...

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Health Issues and Special Care Requirements

Is The Sussex Right For You?

Summary