Allotment Gardening Advice Help Chat

Poultry and Pets => The Hen House => Topic started by: sussexchook on October 17, 2011, 11:27

Title: light sussex
Post by: sussexchook on October 17, 2011, 11:27

i have a light sussex chick that was hatched on the 4th of july, I beleive it is a hen but im now begining to question that. it now is alot taller than the other chick that i have and it has a more pronounced crown than the other chick which is a buff orpington, her crown is still a small stump on top of her head. The light sussex also seems to have an extra toe and although it is not crowing yet i would like to know for definate what sex it is . Any help will be gratefully received thanks.

Title: Re: light sussex
Post by: JaK on October 17, 2011, 11:52

I don't know anything much about the sussex breed as I have never kept them but I do have orpingtons of a similar age to yours.
My orpingtons do not have much in the way of wattles and combs yet eithernor do they stand as tall as my RIR and brahmas despite being a large breed.
Sorry I can't help any further really but posting pics may help others to provide you with more info.

Title: Re: light sussex
Post by: Spana on October 17, 2011, 12:28

Without i pic its difficult to tell if its a boy or girl but just a guess from the description it could be a silkie cross  :)

Title: Re: light sussex
Post by: Lewjam on October 17, 2011, 13:25

As others have said, without a picture you cant really comment.

Regarding the wattles, my sussex had a reusable set at 15 Wks.  Sussex cocks are massive and have HUGE wattles, you should know for sure by 17 weeks orso.  Hens may not lay till WK 25-30 but Cocks are likely to crow by wk 17.

Pics would help though!

Lew

Title: Re: light sussex
Post by: sussexchook on October 17, 2011, 16:37

what do u think

Title: Re: light sussex
Post by: Spana on October 17, 2011, 16:56

100% cockerel.

 Did you say he has 5 toes, i think there are only 2 breeds that have 5 toes thats Silkies and Dorkings.  But not 100% on that :unsure:

This is one of mine, he has 5 toes and a top knot.  He is LS with just a touch of Silkie   :D

(http://i52.tinypic.com/5x0itt.jpg)

Title: Re: light sussex
Post by: NormandyMary on October 17, 2011, 19:03

Im not normally all that good at recognising the sex of young chooks, but I agree, Im sure you have a cockerel there, by the way he is standing and the thicker legs. He looks like a younger version of my Jethro. Sorry if thats not the news you were wanting.

Title: Re: light sussex
Post by: bantam novice on October 17, 2011, 20:34

I'm not an expert but would agree with Normandy Mary here.  I would also agree that he may have a touch of silkie in him.  He's a handsome fellow!  :)

Title: Re: light sussex
Post by: hillfooter on October 18, 2011, 04:07

Yes a cockerel I'm afraid and LS cross as Sussex don't have 5 toes.
HF

Title: Re: light sussex
Post by: sussexchook on October 18, 2011, 17:14

just to let people know my chook is the one without 5 toes

Title: Re: light sussex
Post by: Spana on October 18, 2011, 18:00

Quote from: sussexchook on October 17, 2011, 11:27

The light sussex also seems to have an extra toe

Sorry, i thought you meant that your LS had an extra toe :unsure:

So sorry for confusing everyone, I'll get me coat.  For the second time this week    :D

Title: Re: light sussex
Post by: hillfooter on October 19, 2011, 01:58

This is becoming very confusing, so this LS in question doesn't have 5 toes.  Yet it has an extra toe so does that mean it has 6 toes or is it just one extra toe so 4 on one leg and 5 on the other?   :unsure:

Have you thought of exhibiting this bird?
HF

Title: Re: light sussex
Post by: Spana on October 19, 2011, 09:26

Are you becoming a bit confrontational Hillfooter, or should i say a bit more  confrontational ;) :D only joking :)

The first post was a little confusing but think I added to it and just  confused everyone even more :blush: :D

Title: Re: light sussex
Post by: hillfooter on October 19, 2011, 10:00

Quote from: Spana on October 19, 2011, 09:26

Are you becoming a bit confrontational Hillfooter, or should i say a bit more  confrontational ;) :D only joking :)

The first post was a little confusing but think I added to it and just  confused everyone even more :blush: :D

 :lol: :lol:  Confrontational what  me ::)  I'm just a pussycat Spana.  If I occasionally get a bit feisty it's because I don't like to see chicken's welfare suffering.  Not that this thread is in that catagory.  This is just a bit of fun.

I think I was as confused as you by the number of digits this bird had but who cares how many toes it has got anyway, the question was "cock or hen?" and I think we answered that. ;)

I've promised to be good (well at least for a day or so) so I better stop or I'll say something I shouldn't probably.
HF

Title: Re: light sussex
Post by: joyfull on October 19, 2011, 10:14

behave HF I have my beady eye on you  :lol:

Title: Re: light sussex
Post by: Casey76 on October 19, 2011, 14:11

Well, just for comparison... this is a photo of my LS at 8 weeks

(http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y108/oconnka4/Chickens/Chook%202010/LS25May2010.jpg)

and at 19 weeks

(http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y108/oconnka4/Chickens/Chook%202010/Sussex09Aug2010.jpg)

Unfortunately I was never lucky enough to get any sussex girls, so I can't do a comparison there.

One thing though, I will confirm that your bird isn't pure breed :(  A LS sould have white legs, not yellow.

Given that sussex tend to have large combs and wattles, compared to orpington, I'd still hold out that your bird is a pullet.  But it would depend on what it was crossed with as it does have quite a cockerel-type stance.