[kizza]

Is the White sussex an official colour of the breed? I have looked in my chicken books and they say sussex come in light/columbian    as well as pure white. Is this true? Has anyone ever come accross a White Sussex before??

[Aunt Sally]

There is but I've not seen one myself:


http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sussex_(chicken)

You'll need to paste this link including the -(chicken) bit into your borwser

[MontyTom]

I HAVE A WHITE SUSSEX COCKEREL AT THE MOMENT.  NICE BIRD.

[Aunt Sally]

Picture please Monty  

[kizza]

I asked because a bloke i know hatched a pure white sussex hen out of light sussex parents and just wondered if it was an official colour. I will also post a pic later today

[calli]

If both parent s were light sussex it is possible that a white sussex is actually a masking gene. In as much that if the 'white' sussex hatches eggs they will be light again?

The masking gene just hides the actual colour gene

Someone intelligent will npo doubt explain properly :oops:


Sussex

http://www.feathersite.com/Poultry/CGP/Sussex/BRKSussex.html

[MontyTom]

It is a possibility, Calli.  Will post a picture soon.  He's not very big at the moment but does crow.

[calli]

The masking gene concerns the geneolgy of the chicken not its surface colour.

They reproduce original breed colours wwith a random albinism.

Very rare melanism.....

[MontyTom]

forgot to mention - there is an article in last months Practical Poultry (July edition, #40)specifically about White Sussex birds.  Will post a picture of mine soon.