The Accidental Smallholder Forum
Livestock => Poultry & Waterfowl => Topic started by: Stereo on May 17, 2016, 02:48:48 pm
-
Does anyone keep LS here? I have had them for several years and am constantly frustrated by egg size / shape and quality. My first batch were the 'hybrid' type which I sold on. Then I got some really big traditional ones of a different strain and then another batch from another good breeder. It just seems that the eggs are thin, often torpedo shaped or very small.
They are in big grass pens, house is regularly cleaned and treated for mite etc.
Anyone else find this with Sussex? Considering giving up on them to be honest.
-
I believe the Light Sussex was one of the breeds used to create modern hybrid layers and so past breeding decisions may not have been based on maintaining the overall robustness of the breed. Are you buying in chicks or mature birds? Eggs get larger and thinner shelled as the hen ages. Small eggs from a large fowl suggests the very beginning of coming into lay or perhaps having a bantam somewhere in the mix. You may have more luck with Buff, Silver or Speckled Sussex.
-
All have been bought in as POL from 3 different breeders. Just seem to get the same issues with all of them. Possibly the big trad birds I've got would lay good eggs but they seem to lay 1 in Feb then go broody for the rest of the year. Bah.