Speckled Sussex Hatchery Birds - Where did you get yours?

[alohachickens]

I'm thinking of ordering a batch of Speckled Sussex this fall. Considering ordering from Ideal Poultry, who were excellent last time I ordered, but I never bought Speckled Sussex from them.

Anyone have photos of Speckled Sussex from Ideal?

Also considering Cackle . . . and I know there are others out there. The ones sold at feed stores here are from a hatchery in New Mexico called Privett, and those are just so-so. I am looking for not show quality, but really big bodied, lighter colored Sussex, ones that would have too much white for a regular show quality Speckled Sussex. Lots of big white speckles!!! So I'd prefer to buy from a hatchery outside the state, but don't know which one to go with unless I see the grown chickens from each?

Please post photos if you have any and let us know where you got them! I think this could be a helpful thread for anyone looking for Speckled Sussex from a hatchery.

Thanks!

 

[pdsavage]

Not mine but I did a google image search and found these.I just went to page 2.
scroll to the botton on this link.
http://jandjacres.com/farmblog/?tag=lettuce

cackle hatchery

http://www.cacklehatchery.com/speckledsussexpage.html

link to alot more pics on BYC
https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=33646

SS roo
http://blog.mcmurrayhatchery.com/2011/02/09/rare-breeds-of-chickens/photoid1828e/

 

[tiffanya]

I got mine from McMurray, including the roo in my picture.

 

[dak]

I have two from Privett hatchery. They are SUPER friendly and don't lay worth a darn. Did I mention they're SUPER friendly and thus get to stay.

 

[alohachickens]

I'm going to bump this thread up! Especially considering the last comment about Privett Hatchery, LOL!

All of our local birds come from Privett. I'm in Arizona, and Privett is in New Mexico, so it makes sense for all the local feed stores to go with them, being as they are only a state away. However, the Speckled Sussex I have from them have very small spots and maybe a "medium" egg at best. Their size is OK but not huge. That's why I've been considering making an order this spring from a hatchery other than Privett.

Looking for a Speckled Sussex with BIG WHITE BLOBS of color, very large round bodies, and good egg size and great laying ability.

Any recommendations, regarding a good hatchery to order from, or private seller of eggs that may fit this bill? If you've bought Sussex from a different hatchery (other than Privett, I mean) please share pictures and let us know how they were in terms of being good layers? (Or not?) I will probably be placing an order this spring and not sure which hatchery to go with?

Thanks again for your help!!!

 

[alohachickens]

Oh, and just to show what I mean, here are photos of a Privett hatchery Sussex in the background, with a part-Sussex Aloha in the foreground:

As you can see, the hen in the background is not that spectacular - not amazing in color, not great in body quality, either. That is a Privett hatchery Speckled Sussex, which is what you'll generally see from the "feed store" Sussex in Arizona. ALL the feed stores in our area get their stock from Privett. They all have the Privett Hatchery posters on the wall.

Looks like Meyer or Murray McMurray may have better???

 

[sheila3935]

These are mine that I got from Cackle. They lay good just started late. Was about 7 months old before they started laying.

 

[alohachickens]

Those Cackle ones look pretty vibrant, too!

I know the spotting on a SS can vary a lot from chicken to chicken . . . but I have seen a lot of photos of local Sussex for sale on Craigslist, and they have never been much to "crow about" ha ha ha . . . and I know anything sold cheap and locally like that, has to be from feed store stock. (In other words, Privett stock.) Generally they are very dark in color with very small dots of white around here. Those Cackle ones seem a tad brighter and the close-up of that hen in particular, she has more white than I've normally seen.

There was an Ebay auction, from a gal in MO or AR - that had the most AWESOME ones, with so much white! Especially on her roosters, usually the roosters have less white than the hens. And wouldn't you know it, my 'bator was totally full that month! Arrrgh.

 

[mrheinz77]

Check out my BYC page with Hot2Pot's stock. Her SS are the largest that I have come across. The cockerel was 7.5 lbs a month ago and a hen was 6 lbs. That's better than what most hatchery SS weigh. I'm thinking her SS were from Meyers Hatchery.
Did you get my PM a few days ago about eggs?

 

[Ridgerunner]

I've got some young ones from Meyer, 13 weeks old. Obviously I can't tell you how they lay, besides I only got roosters. I think they have one more juvenile molt to go through so it is a little early to get too definite. I think they are a tad smaller than they should be at this age, especially compared to BA pullets and RSL roosters I got with them. The speckling is pretty good, better than I got with my Cackle SS, but they are way too dark. Some mahogany but way too much black. I don't have any good photos of them and I'm fighting a cold so I don''t feel like going to get some.

Here is and old photo of a Cackle SS hen in full molt. Probably not much help.