Sussex

The Light Sussex flock in the photo above is a cross between the Ron Dinger, Paul Bradshaw, & Channing Grisham Lines.  The birds in the photo belong to Mr. Steve & Justin Boyd of S & J Farm.      Mr. Ron Dinger of Minnesota was one of the first to import this color variety of Sussex in the 1980's.  It was later reported but not documented that Mr. Channing Grisham of Alabama imported some of these birds from Canada around 2005.  Thus, to the best of our knowledge, there are only three existing lines of the Columbian color variety in the U.S. 

The Buff Sussex in the photo above, to the right, & to the far right belong to Ms. Lynnrae Troples of PA.  They are a combination of Teasdale, Dinger, & Bradshaw Lines.

The photo above is of a Dinger/Bradshaw Light Sussex Hen from one of our Founding Members, Mr. Tommy White of W Bar T Farm.
The latest contribution to the Sussex breed has been by Mr. Paul Bradshaw of Florida in 2007.  Mr. Bradshaw imported some Light Sussex among other color varieties, from Australia.  A male from Mr. Bradshaw was crossed with females that consisted of a 50/50 crosses of the line belonging to Mr. Dinger & Mr. Grisham by Ron Presley of Cottage Hill Farm.  This cross improved the size of the Dinger/Grisham birds and egg shell quality of the Bradshaw birds.  Mr. Presley no longer has these birds, but passed them on to Mr. H.K. Hensley of Etowah, TN.

The Buff Sussex is another color variety imported by Mr. Paul Bradshaw around 2007.

The Sussex was bred over a century ago in Sussex, England.  This is a pink skinned bird of which made it less popular among North Americans who favor the yellow skinned breeds.  Although they now come in many color varieties, brown, red, & speckled were the original varities.  This breed is one of the oldest existing breeds that has made a large contribution to the poultry world.  The early breeding and history of the Sussex is unclear but became an established breed in 1845.  The Sussex was recognized by the American Poultry Association in 1914.

Sussex are excellent layers of around 240 to 260 eggs a year.  They also are massive meaty birds that are slow to mature.



HPBAA is unclear as the the origin of the Dinger & Teasdale Line of Buff Sussex.

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