Light Sussex

[Ferreting Mad 0]

I'm thinking of getting some POL light sussex to replace my old warrens as it's coming to the end of their laying life. What's this breed like at laying eggs and do they make good mothers, or should I be looking at a breed like silkies to be rearing chicks ?

Thanks.

[CarraghsGem 92]

if you crossbreed a white silkie cock to light sussex hens the chicks are autosexing ie the pullets are brown + roosters are white, the offspring of this mating are in my opinion the best broodys ever, better than their parent stock, they are commonly known as gold-tops

 

if i was building a new flock from the ground up i would have a few bluebell hybrids a few isa brown or goldline hybrids for layers and a couple of gold tops for broodys

 

unless of course you wish to go into rarebreeds! lol.

 

light sussex are good broodys + fair layers but not as good as hybrids of course.

[salclalin 240]

if you crossbreed a white silkie cock to light sussex hens the chicks are autosexing ie the pullets are brown + roosters are white, the offspring of this mating are in my opinion the best broodys ever, better than their parent stock, they are commonly known as gold-tops

 

if i was building a new flock from the ground up i would have a few bluebell hybrids a few isa brown or goldline hybrids for layers and a couple of gold tops for broodys

 

unless of course you wish to go into rarebreeds! lol.

 

light sussex are good broodys + fair layers but not as good as hybrids of course.

 

Sorry to Correct you Carraghsgem,But to get Gold-Tops you Have to Put a Gold Silkie Cock to a Light Sussex Hen.Gold to Silver.Any sex Linked Breeding needs a Gold cock to a Silver Hen.ie Rhode Island Red Cock to a Light Sussex Hen.Producing Brown Chicks(Pullets) White Chicks(Cocks)As for the Question do Light Sussex make good Broodies.Definitely.They are the Only Hens i Put Eggs under for Hatching.I use the Large Sussex and Light sussex Bantams.

[CarraghsGem 92]

if you crossbreed a white silkie cock to light sussex hens the chicks are autosexing ie the pullets are brown + roosters are white, the offspring of this mating are in my opinion the best broodys ever, better than their parent stock, they are commonly known as gold-tops

 

if i was building a new flock from the ground up i would have a few bluebell hybrids a few isa brown or goldline hybrids for layers and a couple of gold tops for broodys

 

unless of course you wish to go into rarebreeds! lol.

 

light sussex are good broodys + fair layers but not as good as hybrids of course.

 

Sorry to Correct you Carraghsgem,But to get Gold-Tops you Have to Put a Gold Silkie Cock to a Light Sussex Hen.Gold to Silver.Any sex Linked Breeding needs a Gold cock to a Silver Hen.ie Rhode Island Red Cock to a Light Sussex Hen.Producing Brown Chicks(Pullets) White Chicks(Cocks)As for the Question do Light Sussex make good Broodies.Definitely.They are the Only Hens i Put Eggs under for Hatching.I use the Large Sussex and Light sussex Bantams.

never bred them but im certain i read in one of the poultry mags that it is white silkie cock over light sussex hen, recessive gene i think, will try and find the article before the day is out! does make sense what you are saying.

[CarraghsGem 92]

nope, i was right.

just googled gold tops and a few articles came up;-

you still get gold tops when you x a white silkie cock to light sussex hen,

the white silkie carrys the gold gene,

you can still use a gold silkie cock if you want to,

you get the same result either way

 

[salclalin 240]

nope, i was right.

just googled gold tops and a few articles came up;-

you still get gold tops when you x a white silkie cock to light sussex hen,

the white silkie carrys the gold gene,

you can still use a gold silkie cock if you want to,

you get the same result either way

 

[trappa 518]

Im no authority whatsoever on poultry but i got 3 light sussex last year (and 3 marans). My light sussex were/are excellent layers. The only problem for me, but maybe not for you is that they seemed to take it in turn to be broody last summer. Im not interested in breeding, only for eggs so i wasnt impressed with the broodiness.

[peacockks 2]

i can well recommend white leghorns, very friendly and prolific layers once settled.

good luck

peacockks