Poultry Profile: Sussex

The Sussex
Breed type: dual purpose (eggs and meat)
Temperament: alert, good foragers
Egg production: 200-250 tinted eggs

While the Sussex comes in many colours around the world, here the most common is the Light Sussex.

This quite attractive bird was used widely in the developed of hybrids used in commercial laying flocks because of their good laying abilities.

For small time farmers of 100 years ago, the Sussex was the breed of choice because it was such a versatile bird – great as a roast or as a prolific egg layer.

The Sussex originated in the English county of the same name and birds fitting their description were first mentioned more than 140 years ago white-skinned, brown shelled egg laying bird.

It’s build tends to be boxy in shape, giving it a good ratio of meat and during English laying trials in the mid 1920s it was recognized for its laying, achieving over 200 eggs or more a year.