Data sheet Sussex chickens
Body weight (hen):
2.5 to 3kg
Body weight (rooster):
3 to 4 kg
eggs per year:
180 eggs
Weight of an egg:
55g
eggshell color:
yellow
Origin:
England
Flight Skills:
barely
color shades:
white-black columbia (red, brown also possible)
Particularities:
- high-yield (eggs and fattening animals)
- winter layer
Number (recommended group size):
5 to 8 chickens
Life expectancy:
6 to 8 years
Difficulty level:
Beginner Davee, Speckled Sussex Chicken, CC BY 2.0
The Sussex Chicken comes from England and will there since the early 19th century sold. There it quickly became one of the most popular chickens to buy on the market.
It serves as a excellent egglayer and also as a good fattening animal. A chicken with both characteristics is also called «Tone».
This makes it a popular chicken while still being easy to keep. At the beginning of the 20th century it also spread in Germany. The Sussex was the same Template for other racesincluding the Brahma chicken.
The Sussex chicken has a well-known color scheme. It has mostly white feathers, with a black and white neck and head section and a black tail.
Other colors with brown and red are also possible, but occur less frequently. His body shape is boxy. In general, the Sussex is one of the largest chicken specieswho are kept in the barn.
For Beginner the Sussex chicken is perfect as there is a has a friendly manner and settles in quickly. It is trusting and can also be petted by people without any problems.
It has no high demands to its enclosure and its food, is weatherproof and not sensitive to the cold. The enclosure should still enough free space provide for the big chickens so that they get enough exercise.
A large meadow is perfect in the summer for the Sussex to peck for food. The fence does not have to be high as the chicken cannot fly due to its weight and small wings.
gender differences
The red cockscomb is clearly visible due to the short feathers. One Henne is a bit stockier, while a rooster has the typical box shape. Otherwise there are hardly any optical differences between the hens and roosters.
breed
The Sussex Chicken is a All-rounder among chickens and therefore perfect for your own breeding. It lays comparatively many and heavy eggs, but it is also a good fattening animal.
Breeding is possible even as a hobby. The hens are less broodywhich is why eggs have to be raised by hand.
A hatching egg should weigh at least 60g and then be raised using an incubator and later a heat lamp.
rearing of the chicks
The Sussex chicks are robust and undemanding, can be raised by hand. There is nothing that needs special attention. As long as the chicks are cared for, they will grow up quickly.
socialization
The Sussex Chicken is friendly to other races and can be kept in an enclosure with them as long as the other chickens are also peaceful and peaceful.
As long as the other conspecifics also have a calm character, it shouldn’t be a problem to let them live together.
There are also no competitions among the roosters. For beginners, the Sussex is a perfect chicken as it easy to maintain is and one more high yield has.