Light sussex

Happy with similar breeds

This breed is not aggressive, however it is not ideal to mix them with smaller bantams or have them outnumber other breeds. They are better suited to being kept with their own kind or with breeds of similar size and temperament.

Aloof but friendly

This breed is typically flighty and fast moving and will become to be friendly, but they may come across as a bit aloof since they don’t enjoy being handled too much. They tend to be independent and prefer to do their own thing.

250-300+ Large Cream/Light Brown PA

This breed can lay up to 300 large cream to light brown coloured eggs per year, they are not known for being broody.

Character

The Hybrid Sussex is a wonderful, easygoing chicken, making it a perfect choice for beginners. They’re calm and untroubled, and love treats, making them simple to hand-tame. These hens enjoy being handled and are great pets for children. Not overly flighty, they are confident, sturdy birds ideal for backyard flocks. They thrive in mixed groups and enjoy free-ranging, so a spacious garden or field is perfect for them. With their laid-back nature, the Hybrid Sussex is an ideal, low-maintenance hen for first-time chicken keepers.

Sutability

Sussex hens are excellent foragers and love to roam, so they’re not ideal for very small back gardens. They need plenty of grass time and mental stimulation to thrive. Proper nutrition is key for hybrid chickens; they require a good layer pellet along with additional treats that provide calcium, vitamin D, and B12 to help them lay lots of fresh eggs. Make sure food and water are available at all times. Since they love foraging, a large walk-in run with ample space for outdoor exploration is the perfect environment for them when you’re not around. You can also use electric fencing to create secure foraging areas in larger spaces. Hybrids can fly and would appreciate a roosting bar for sleeping, and they can easily manage a house with a ladder or ramp.

History

Chickens come in many varieties and are usually cross-bred from different pure breeds such as the Light Sussex, Rhode Island Red and Leghorn. The Hybrid Sussex has been bred from lines of the traditional British pure breed hen the Sussex, the pretty neck feathers have maintained into the hybrid version making them quite hard to tell apart from the original pure breed. They are not easily stressed and are generally a very confident, friendly bird. Hybrid chicken development is quite new and only started in the 1950’s, before the hybrid chicken was created most farmers and poultry keepers kept pure breeds. Hybrids have been created to lay prolific numbers of eggs, but their egg production is short lived and they tend to slow down after about 3 years of laying, they are capable of laying approximately 280 cream to light brown eggs per year and are not known for being broody.