Breed Profile & History

Origins

From Sussex County to Your Coop: A Short History of the Breed's SpreadHow a southeast English table fowl crossed the Atlantic, crossed into Canada and crossed with other breeds on its way to a backyard near you.
The Speckled Sussex: A Dual-Purpose English Breed With a Long HistoryA dated timeline from the old farmyard fowls of southeast England to a recovering heritage breed in American backyards.
The Speckled Sussex Chicken: An Old English Breed With a StoryFrom the farmyards of southeast England to American backyards, the Sussex is one of the oldest and friendliest dual-purpose chickens.

Mahogany, Black Bars, and White Tips: How to Identify a True Speckled SussexA field checklist for telling a Speckled Sussex from lookalikes, based on the written standard and published breed descriptions.
Speckled Sussex Color Explained: Mahogany, Black Bar and White TipsWhy the breed is named for its feathers, how each feather is built, why hens get more speckled every molt and what judges want to see.
The Rooster's Tail, Comb, and Wattles: Evaluating Male Type in Speckled SussexA practical way to look over a Speckled Sussex cockerel for body, tail carriage, comb and head points before you keep him or pen him.

Broody Hens: How to Use One or Break OneA hen that sits on eggs all day can be a gift or a headache. How to recognize broodiness and decide what to do.
Friendly, Inquisitive, and Mellow: The Speckled Sussex Temperament ExplainedWhat keepers mean when they call this old English breed docile, and where the label stops being useful.

Speckled Sussex vs. Other Sussex Varieties: Light, Red, and Buff ComparedOne breed, several coats: how the Speckled, Light, Red and Buff Sussex came about and how they differ.
Sussex, Orpington or Dorking? Comparing Three English Class ChickensBody shape, feet, temperament, color and purpose compared across three old English breeds, and how to choose among them.
The English Class: Where the Speckled Sussex Sits Among Heritage BreedsWhat the English class means in the American Standard, who else is in it, and what that says about the Speckled Sussex.