Sussex
Gallus gallus domesticus
Dual-purpose English breed with a long history as a table bird. APA English Class. Alert, curious, and productive; Speckled and Light varieties most common.
Breed reference
The shape of the breed,
in plain English.
Dual-purpose English breed with a long history as a table bird. APA English Class. Alert, curious, and productive; Speckled and Light varieties most common.
Owner-experience
across 7 dimensions.
Each bar is a 1 to 5 score from breed-knowledgeable owners. Read the bar labels for the trade-off the dimension captures.
Temperament
Friendliness with handlers
Aloof. Avoids handling; flighty around humans.Friendly. Approaches handlers; tolerates lap and arm carry.
Broodiness
Rarely broody. Maintains laying through the season.Very broody. Reliably hatches and raises chicks; interrupts laying.
Foraging drive
Limited foragers. Stay near coop and feed bins.Active foragers. Cover wide ranges in search of insects and vegetation.
Noise level
Quiet hens. Egg songs and alarm calls are subdued.Loud hens. Frequent egg songs and chatter audible at distance.
Coat and maintenance
Cold hardiness
Cold-sensitive. Single comb frostbite risk; requires heated shelter below 20 F.Cold-hardy. Tolerates winter cold without supplemental heat in most climates.
Heat tolerance
Heat-sensitive. Drops laying and risks heat stress above 85 F.Heat-tolerant. Maintains laying and activity above 90 F with shade and water.
Flight tendency
Stays grounded. Heavy build limits flight.Strong flyer. Readily clears 5+ ft fences.
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