Sussex
| Sussex | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Origin | Category | Egg Colour | Sitter |
| Britain | Softfeather Heavy | Tinted to Brown | Yes |
GENERAL CHARACTERISTICS
This is a very old English breed, which originated in the County of Sussex over a century ago. It was primarily bred for market purposes, Sussex being famed for its production of table fowls. The size and shape of the breed make it desirable for fattening and this quality with the white flesh and legs appeals to the English poulterers. Length of body is important and size and weight are to be considered. The Sussex is a dual purpose fowl for production of meat and eggs. Color of skin, white; color of egg shells, tinted to brown. Tendency to sit.
THE COCK
Head - Skull of medium size. Beak short, strong, and well curved. Eyes full and bright. Comb single, of medium size, upright, evenly serrated, and fitting closely. Face smooth. Earlobes and Wattles of medium size.
Neck of medium length, with fairly full hackle.
Body broad, deep, and long ; square breast and carried well forward with long and deep breast bone ; wide shoulders; broad and flat back.
Wings carried closely.
Tail of moderate size, carried at an angle of 45 degrees.
Legs short and rather wide apart, the thighs stout and the shanks strong and free from feathers. Toes (four) straight, long, and well spread.
Carriage graceful and erect.
Plumage close.
THE HEN
The general characteristics are similar to those of the cock, allowing for the natural sexual differences.
COLOUR
- Beak white or horn.
- Eyes red, except in Lights orange, and in Browns brown or red.
- Comb, Face,
- Wattles and Earlobes red.
- Legs and Feet white.
- Flesh and Skin white.
STANDARD WEIGHTS
Cock 9 lbs (4kg) Hen 7 lbs (3.2kg) Cockerel 7 1/2 lbs (3.4kg) Pullet 6 lbs (2.8kg)
Note that there is no upper weight for a large Sussex.
Bantams to be approximately one third of the size of the large fowl.
VARIETIES
BUFF SUSSEX
Colour detail to be as per the Light Sussex, however white to be replaced by an even Buff colour. Buff undercolour prefered although a darker shade tolerable.
BROWN SUSSEX
Plumage of the Cock - Hackles rich dark mahogany striped with black. Back and Wingbows rich dark mahogany. Wing-coverts (forming the bar) blue-black; secondaries and flights black edged with brown. Breast, Tail and Thighs black.
Plumage of the Hen - Hackle brown striped with black. Back and Wings dark motley brown. Breast and Underbody pale wheaten brown. Flights black edged with brown. Tail black.
CORONATION SUSSEX
Colour detail to be as per the Light Sussex, however black to be replaced by Lavender.
LAVENDER SUSSEX
Colour detail for the Lavender to be as per the Silver Sussex however black to be replaced by lavender.
LIGHT SUSSEX
Plumage pure white, with black-striped neck hackle, black in flights, and black tail, the black centre of each feather of the neck-hackle to be entirely surrounded by a white margin, and finishing in a decided white point, not a black tip or black outer edging.
RED SUSSEX
Plumage rich dark red, one uniform shade and free from "pepper," with black- striped neck hackle, black in flights, and black tail, and slate undercolour.
SILVER SUSSEX
Plumage of the Cock - Hackles on both neck and saddle to be white with black stripe in the centre. The effect is of a white lacing on the edge. Head: white. Back: pure white. Wings: pure white. Wing bow: silvery white. Wing bar: black. Flights and secondary feathers: black with some grey tinging. Breast feathering to show characteristic white lacing made up of black backround with white shafting and silver lacing edging the feather. Faint lacing through to the thighs which may be dark grey. Black tail. Undercolour: dark grey graduating to white at the skin.
Plumage of the Hen: Head white. Neck hackles white striped with black. Back: dark grey to black with each feather showing the distinctive birchen patterning of white shafting and lacing. The remainder of the body plumage to be similar to that of the male.
SPECKLED SUSSEX
Plumage of the Cock - Hackles rich dark mahogany striped with black and tipped with white. Wing-bow speckled; primaries white, brown, and black. Tail sickles black with white tips. Remainder rich dark mahogany free from "Pepper" each feather tipped with a small white spot, a narrow glossy black bar dividing the white from the remainder of the feather, the three colours to show distinctly to give the desired speckled effect, and neither colour to run into the other. Undercolour slate and red with a minimum of white.
Plumage of the Hen - Flights black, brown and white. Tail black and brown with white tip. Hackle and Body rich dark mahogany, each feather speckled with a small white tip and glossy black bar, as mentioned in the cock.
WHITE SUSSEX
Plumage white all over without sappiness or any other colour.
SCALE OF POINTS
| SCALE POINTS | |
| Type | 25 |
| Size | 20 |
| Colour | 20 |
| Legs and feet | 15 |
| Head | 10 |
| Condition | 10 |
| 100 |
SERIOUS DEFECTS
- Rose comb;
- Feather on shanks;
- Wry tail
- Other than four toes;
- Any deformity
- Yellow skin, shanks or feet
For general disqualifications see Disqualifications.
References
- The Australasian (Melbourne, Vic. : 1864 - 1946) Sat 18 Aug 1928 Page 64 LIGHT SUSSEX STANDARD. https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/140815206?searchTerm=sussex%20standard&searchLimits=
- The American standard of perfection, illustrated. A complete description of all recognized varieties of fowls as revised by the American Poultry Association, inc., at its seventy-sixth convention in Honesdale, Pennsylvania, 1949; seventy-eight convention in Roanoke, Virginia, 1951; seventy-ninth convention in Fort Worth, Texas, 1952. https://catalog.hathitrust.org/Record/009169010
- The Poultry club standards, containing a complete description of all the recognised varieties of fowls, ducks, geese and turkeys, ed. by William W. Broomhead. https://catalog.hathitrust.org/Record/009202629