Speckled Sussex
A fine old breed
The Sussex is an English heavy breed of chicken first appearing in the early 1800s. The Speckled Sussex is a mahogany brown
with white tips to it's feathers giving it the "speckled" appearance. Famous in it's native England as a table fowl
around the mid 1800s it was highly sought after at the London Poultry Market. The spurless roosters average 9lbs with hens a
respectable 7lbs. They are a broad breasted, flat-backed bird, alert with a charming personality and excellent foraging ability.
Sussex hens can go broody and make good mothers. A trait that has been bred out of modern breeds due to it's
interference
with production of eggs. Ginger sat on a clutch of 25 eggs and hatched 18! The mothering instinct
is strong for the first month while she protects them, teaches them how to forage and defends them aggressively
against all threats.
They are quite docile and easily tamed, especially if you work with them as youngsters. Several hens have become
friendly enough to eat out of your hand. The breed now has a "Recovering" status on the ALBC's Conservation Priority
List thanks to the breeders who have taken an interest in preserving this heritage breed.
Check out the ALBC's Conservation list
Sandhill Preservation in Iowa
Ideal Hatchery in Texas (where we purchased our original chicks)