Collection: Our Speckled Sussex Chickens

At Round Hill Ranch, one of our first breed of chickens was the Speckled Sussex in 2020. Since then, we have continued to breed them yearly during the spring months and as requested.

Throughout the summer months, we raise Speckled Sussex for their light brown eggs to bring to our farmers’ markets across New England. We also sell these as fertile eggs upon request.

In the winter, we evaluate our flocks that have grown out to supply a good portion of our chicken meat for the upcoming farmers’ market seasons.

Why We Chose the Breed?

Originally, we chose this breed simply for its beautiful coloring that complimented our first goats’ coloring! Of course!

But over time, we realized that these birds have an exquisite temperament. They were wonderful with visitors of all ages, they did not flee or stray too far, and they produced eggs consistently all year long (about 200-250 eggs per year)!

Upon further research, we realized with certain feeding practices, these chickens became good and plump. Fellow farmers commented that the Speckled Sussex chicken is known for juicy, tender, and high-quality white meat. Full grown, these chickens dress at 7-9lb! We gave it a try, and we have never looked back!

 Speckled Sussex as a Heritage Breed

The Speckled Sussex is a part of the Sussex Chicken family. They originated in Sussex/Kent, England from a derivation of Asian fowl. Sussex chickens almost went extinct in the late 1890s and 1900s due to the idea to cross-breed with larger breeds with the goal of yielding more meat. This tragically caused a bird with larger bones but low and less quality of meat. The breed is slowly being rebuilt to its original standards. Today, there are three majorly recognized Sussex Chickens— the Speckled, the Red, and the Light. Some countries do also recognize the Brown, the Coronation, the Buff, the White, and the Silver. At Round Hill Ranch, we specialize in the Speckled, but we do hope to branch out one day as we partner further with the Livestock Conservancy and our local 4H groups.

Getting Started

 If you are looking to get started with your own Speckled Sussex flock, we would love to help you get started! We highly recommend this breed for homesteaders, family, and 4H showmanship. These birds are friendly towards humans and known for their curiosity. They are not aggressive but can stand their own. This breed is perfect as a dual-purpose breed for any homestead needing eggs and tender meat.

We offer the following services for this beautiful breed:

• Fertile, hatching eggs by the dozen or flat
• Chicks (24 hours old to 4 weeks old)
• Started pullets (1-4 months old)
• Laying Hens (5 months— 4 years old)
• Retired Hens
• Roosters
• Rehoming Services

Contact us to learn more about Speckled Sussex. If you are a participant in 4H or FFA, we would love to help you get started in the breed. Contact us to learn more about our 4H or FFA discounts!