welcome from our birds
we have utility Light Sussex breeding stock
and youngstock for sale
This
English heavy breed has been around since the turn of the century but the
roots of the breed go back to Roman civilisations in England, as domesticated
poultry crossed the continents from Indo-China. At first, Sussex were primarily
a table fowl, but the valuable resource they offer in terms of egg production
was not overlooked by prewar breeders who fashioned laying strains.
In
the US, Speckled, Red, and Light Sussex are recognised, while the British
recognise several more varieties, including Buff, Brown, and Silver. It
is famous as a table fowl and the cockerels should weigh in at 9 pounds,
with the hens reaching 7 pounds.
The
Light Sussex has been used widely in the development of sex-linked hybrids
for commercial laying flocks. They are an excellent laying breed. Eggs
range in colour from creamy ~ light brown. They do sometimes go broody,
and are good winter layers.
The
parent stock of these youngsters are examples of Utilitarian Sussex
- a type well suited for a balance of backyard practicality & production.
Our young birds at 16 weeks
Light Sussex
have been used in a number of breeding programmes over the years.
WE TAKE
ORDERS AS OUR BIRDS ARE OFTEN BOOKED
We have sold out of birds hatched last year so are now taking expressions of interest for the 2007 season. We have a limited number of birds we can rear in any one year so please book early for collection in the autumn. If you want eggs for hatching or day old ducklings please ask - limited supplies should be available between late spring to mid summer.
Please note we DO NOT export eggs, birds or housing.
Please bear in mind that all birds have to be collected from the farm - as far as I am aware there are no specialist carriers who work this far north
web links for sussex hens
WE
ARE STILL LOOKING FOR MORE GOOD UTILITY FOUNDATION STOCK - IF YOU KNOW OF ANY PLEASE LET US KNOW
click here for some musings and notes on the future of utility light sussex breeding especially the meat production traits - any input would be most welcome especially from breeders from days gone by :~))
If Light Sussex hens,
which are considered to be silver lines are crossed with a gold coloured
male - commonly a Rhode Island Red but can include a Buff Sussex, this
results in all the cockerel (male) chicks having whitish grey or pale brown
down, whereas the pullets (females) have reddish-brown or buff down.
This has been popular
in the past to enable smallholders and farmers to identify the future laying
stock and those that were for the pot.
The feather colouring
has also been used to help identify the sexes in marans at day old, using
a first cross bird back to a pure marans. Unfortunately this has tended
to result in a loss in the depth of the dark marans egg colour and also
in yields- there are few really productive Light Sussex lines left in the
UK.
BEFORE REACHING
POINT OF LAY
Availability for 2007:-
Our 2007 Price list list for hatching eggs, day olds and birds is here
***BOOK
NOW*** TO AVOID DISAPPOINTMENT
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our breeding flocks of sussex are housed in Brentford poultry house -available to order from Kintaline - click on the house for more details
