HAND Book Series HISTORY OF THE SUSSEX FOWL -M. CONTAINING THE ENGLISH AND AMERICAN STANDARD ^/PERFECTION ILLUSTRATED American Sussex Poultry Club, Publishers Hackensack, N. J. ,yT Hand Book Series HISTORY OF 1 HE SUSSEX FOWL CONTAINING THE ENGLISH AND AMERICAN STANDARD ^/PERFECTION ILLUSTRATED American Sussex Poultry Club, Publishers Hackensack, N. J. qi Copyright, 191 1 By William H. Bratt Printed and bcund by PRESS-CHRONICLE CO. S^X^ PAIERSON.N.,. |CIA3(M»9G1 Dedicated to the A. P. A, Apologizing to the shade of Aesop for this: The Lion, the Ass and the Fox went hunting- together in a forest; and it was agreed, that whatever was tal\;en should uo divided among-st them. They happened to have very good sport, and caug^ht a large fat stag, which the Lion ordered the Ass to divide. The Ass, to the best of his ability did so, mak- ing three very equal shares. This division not suiting the craving- temper of the greedy Lion, he sprang upon the Ass, and tore him to pieces; and forthwith ordered the Fox to divide it into two parts. Reynard had his cue sufficiently for this occasion, and nibbling off a piece of one ear tor himself, laid down the rest as the Lion's portion. The royal brute was so delighted that he could not forbear expressing his satis- faction, and asked the Fox where he had learnt so proper and courtly behaviour. "Why," replied Reynard, '"to tell your majesty the truth, I was taught it by the Ass that lies dead there." t5t)e jSu^s^ex potul The t'ounty ol Sussex. Enulaiul, lias for centuries been prominently identified with the raising of chickens and from wliat we can learn from Wright, Lewis. Brown and others of authority, it would appear that the ground of Sussex is i.articularly adapted to the industi-y, the lime de- posit being directly responsible for large oat croi)s which is the chief, almost exclusive ration, in rearing and fattening for market. J.ong before the time of modern railroad freight, wagr.ns left the Sussex districts every night for Loiulon loaded down with select poultry that had been care- fully plucked and shaped to the reipiiremcnt of the metro- politan market and we arc told tlie industry has now be- conu' so extensive, so systemized and the expense of hand- ling cut so fine that the cost of consigning a bird from the fatters to the commission merchant in London is ai)proxi- mat(dy two cents per bird. An idea of the extent of the industry can be formed by referring to .Mr. Wright, who is authoritv for the statement that in ISIU) the town of This Cut Represents the Type Adopted as Standard by the Sussex Poultry Club of England When It Was Organized July, 1903 Heathfield sent in to London 2,500 tons of dead iionltry, equivalent to 16,000 lbs. each day in the year (Sundays ex- eluded) and these biids weie of a uniform eliaracteristic and quality demanded by tlie London poulterers. The foregoing remarks are but a prelude to our desire to show, and contention, that there had been established in this district a Sussex type that years of breeding and ca- tering to a certain nuirket had marked as distinctive from all others. In this particular the effort of all authorities is practically lost in antiquity, and ^Nlr. Wright, the fore- most authority, is responsible for the description that a half century ago the greater proportion of Sussex fowl were known by their delicate white legs, four claws, very broad and square bodies, feathering of varied colors, but principally brown or bay more or less speckled Avith Avhite and black. Continuing further and bearing on the origin of the Dark Dorking, a mass of evidence is produced, showing the latter to be the result of a cross between the White Dorking and the Sussex Fowl. In relation to this assumption there is but one dissentor, Mr. Harrison Weir, (who, by the way, does not doubt the existence of the Sussex fowl a century ago but the admixture that produced the colored Dorking). In doubting Weir's right to challenge the statement that Sussex blood was infused, Mr. Wright offers the evidence of Bonington Moubray published in 1815 and that of Nolan in 1850, and in dismissing the theory of AVeir claims that the latter's views were based upon the memory of men, each of 7 Above Photo of Speckled Pullet Winner of Most First Prizes in England 1910, and Illustrates the Length of Body Desired at This Time. "In shape, the ISussex breeders, to keep their breed distinc- tive of the Orpington, are seeking the long type and medium feathering." — F. L. Piatt. Reliable Poultry Journal, Sept. 1911. whom had an opinion as to the breeding- and purity of his own stock. The first evidence we liave, however, of the Sussex fowl being placed on exhibition under their proper name was at the Lewis Poultry show of Sussex County twenty years ago when John Cole made an entry of speckled Sussex. This information is furnished us by Dr. F. Y. Gravely of Greens- field, (Sussex, England,) who also states that he traced a strain of speckled Sussex that had been bred consistently for over 80 years on a farm at the foot of tlie Downs. Through the courtesy of jNIessrs. Cassell & Co. we are able to present our readers with a reproduction of the color plate frontispiece that will appear in Wright's Revised book on poultry to be published early next year and while we re- gret we have not been able to review the text the presump- tion is that Artist Ludlow went down into the Sussex dis- trict and there sketched the old original Sussex fowl upon its native heath. The picture follows the (lescrii)tion we had of the bird fifty years back and adds much weight to the contention that Moubray's history was correct and that the colored Dorking- is a decendi.uit of the old speckled Sussex. In face of wliat we have said, it does seem strange, how- ever, that from a fancy and exhibition standpoint the Sus- sex Avere seldom heard from exce])t periodically as before noted up until July, 1903, when the Sussex Poultry Club was formed and which jumped into popular favor so tliat in the November of the following- year 103 specimens were 9 An American Bred Speckled Sussex Cock, Winner of the Blue Ribbon, Madison Square, Dec. 1910, Entered as a Diamond Jubilee Orpington penned at the Lewes Show. An incident that might have aroused the Sussex fanciers to the protection of their breed occurred about the time of Queen Victoria's Jubilee, when it was claimed that the late Mr. Wm. Cook introduced the speckled Sussex as the Diamond Jubilee Orpington. Just how much breeding and experimenting Mr. Cook engaged in I am not prepared to say, but if he procured a "speckled Dorking now supposed to be extinct" and crossed it with a buff Orpington, producing the Diamond Jubilee Orpington, I am afraid he went to a lot of unnecessary labor, for the D. J. Orpington is today far behind the Orpington type, and specimens of speckled Sussex have repeatedly beaten the Cook cross in the show room, even tagging them with the assumed name. I have no desire to berate the work of Mr. Cook. I have met him at Madison Square in years gone by, and the old gentleman with his high hat and white vest impressed me as he spoke chicken, more in the light of a promoter than a breeder, but whether he originated the chicken or originated the name, due credit must be given him for his enterprise. As we commenced to say in this particular it occurs to us that the coming of the name Diamond Jubilee Orpington was the direct cause of arousing Sussex breeders to the de- fence of their own and bringing into the foreground a good old breed that from the show room standpoint w^as practi- cally unknown, and its intrinsic worth known only to the fatters and consumers within la limited area. At the time the Sussex Poultry Club was formed, three varieties were standardized— the speckled, light and red— 11 An American Jred Speckled Sussex Cock of Remarkably Fine Shape wliieli were also .subseinieiitiy ;i(linit.t(Ml to tlic poultry club's staudard. T!ie editor of the Ku-lish Standard, Mr. W. W. Broomlicad, (a well-known editor and ,iud,i;c) is also a member of the Sussi'x l\)ultry ('lub and has done much to further the interests of the breed by his wi'itin^s and ac- tivity iu the show room. W'lien lie judges a l)ir(l he de- mands type from start to linish. In speakino he said with much emphasis that "tyife made tlie breed and color the variety, keep to the type and try to imi)rove the markings.'' In this connection we would say that the priiuipal object of the English club is to j)ieserve the type and by reference to the standard it Avill be notiMl tliat type, size and condi- tion count 5") points, while all other defects in head, comb, legs, feet and color count l)ut 4."). Before advancing to the Standai'd let us refer to the photos which can be better read than the most vivid de- scription. The speckled jjullet shown on ])age S illustrates an almost ideal bird. She shows to advantage the great length of body so much desired at this time to stanij) the- type apart from that of the so-called "Orpington," which is in reality an inferior "cobby"' Snssex. This bird received special mention from Judge Bunney at the Hastings show, and was looked ujx)!! as the best specimen ever exhibited. We would like you to contiast her with the biid ])ictured on page 18, which for generiil symmetrical lines and beauti' ful disti'ibution of color is none of the English pullets in- 13 An American Bred Speckled Sussex Hen, First Prize, Madison Square, Dec. 1910, as a Pullet ferior, the liaiidieap lying, if at all, in a little too closo feathering. Tlie birds illustrated on pages 10 and IG show the fallacy of the "Diamond Jubilee" claim. Here are two speckled Sussex, the cock so large, scj[uare and Hat that he really looks short, and the pullet so beautiful in feather and trained in the pen that they win the blue as "Diamond Ju- bilees" against all comers. ^Vhen it conu'S to Sussex "type" the adult birds sliowu on pages 12 and 14 are par excellence, but it is also necessary to point out the fact that the cock bird is too dark as an exliibition specimen, while the hen is the reverse — too light. However, in parti -colored birds, here is one great essential for the proper mating of your stock to produce progeny for the show room. In passing to the light Sussex we come to the variety that we believe Mr. S. C. Sharpe, the present secretary of the English club, can jvistly lay chiim to originating. At the time the club was organized quite some discussion arose as to the advisability of admitting them to tlie standard and while birds of the light Brahma markings had been known in the district of Sussex the chief interest centered on the old speckled variety, but Mr. Sharpe, undaunted by the de- sire of a few to exchule the "lights." hung on to liis favor- ite, which he had been breeding to i)erfection for several years and finally prevailed. It Avas the intention of the owner of the bird pictured on page 28 to exhibit him at Crystal Palace this fall but lie informs us that procrastina- tion — the thief of time — robbed him of the opportunity. 15 American Bred Speckled Sussex Pullet of 1910, Winner First Prize Grand Central Palace, Nov 1910 and Madison Square, Dec. 1910, Shown in the Diamond Jubilee Orpington Class While the light Sussex will usually make the greatest weight the standard calls for no difference and as egg pro- ducers they fall but little short of the speckled variety, A breeder of lights in writing to Secretary Sharpe tells him that a May hatched pullet commenced laying Oct. 10, and in one year without special care with regard to feeding or housing, in town on a small place, had produced 154 eggs. Passing on to the red Sussex pictured on pages 30-38, we are fortunate to be able to furnish several very fine photos. American breeders by careful selection and line breeding have wonderfully improved the color of the bird, still the same difficulty in color that exists in the Rhode Island red is found with the Sussex, but Ave think to a lesser degree. Following the standards which are now given we conclude our booklet with a few remarks on line breeding that should be practiced by all who wish to make exhibition fowl a suc- cess. Standards for Sussex GENERAL CHARACTERISTICS OF COCK Head and Neck. Head Medium size. Beak Short and strong (curved). Eye Full and bright. Comb Single, medium size, evenly ser- rated and erect, and fitting close to the head. Face Red. Earlobes and Wat-Of medium size, ties Neck Gracefully curved with fairly full hackle. 17 American Bred Speckied Sussex Pullet 1911. Seven Months Oid When Photo Was Taken Bocy. Breast Broad and square, carried well forward, with long and deep breast bone. Shoulders Wide. Back Broad and flat. Wings Carried close to the body. "Skin Clear, and fine in texture. Ta'I. Moderate size. Legs and Feet. Thighs Short and stout. Shanks Short and strong and i-atiie.' wide apart; free from feath- ers. Toes Four in numbei". sti'aight and well spread. General Shape and Carriage, Cobby, compact, graceful anci erect. Size and Weight Large, 0-lb. and upwards. PIUTiage. Close. 19 American Bred Six Montlis Old Speckled Sussex Cockerel of Very Promising Shape. Main Tail Feathers Just Starting GENERAL CHARACTERISTICS OF HEN Head, Neck and Body. As in the Cock. Tail. Small, curved backwards, other- wise as in the Cock. Legs and Feet. As in the Cock. General Shape nnd Carriage. Cobby, compact, graceful and erect. Size and Weight Larg-e ; 7-lb. and upwards. Plumage. Close. COLOUR IN THE RED VARIETY In both Sexes Beak White or horn colour. Eye Red or brown. Comb, face, ear- lobes and wattlesRed. Shanks and feet. . .White. Skin and flesh. .. .White and fine. 21 American Bred Light Sussex Hen, Weight 8 lbs. Typical Shape and Beautiful Columbian Markings \n the Cock. (Plumage). . . ^ -.u. Head ana neck Glossy brown. stnped with hackle black. Body Dark or chestnut brown, allow- ing for greater depth of coioi on saddle and wing bow» which should be glossy. Wings Rich dark brown, with blacK in flights. Wing bow A solid patch of deep glossy brown. Tail coverts Dark brown, changing to almost black at tips. Tail Black. In t e ®" j^pj^(j j^nd neck Dark brown striped with black. Wings l^rown with black in flights. Tail " Black. Remainder of plumage Brown. COLOUR IN THE LIGHT VARIETY In Lioth Sexes. Beak White or horn colour. Eye .Orange. Comb, face, ear- lobes and wattleiRed. '^"I'c.nks t)P'^ t'eet . . AVhite. Skin and flesh White and fine. In the Cock. Head White. Npck hackle White striped with black. Wings White with black in flights. Tail coverts White slightly tipped with l)lack. Tail Black. Remainder of plumage Pure white throughout. Jn the Hen. Head White. Neck hackle White striped with black. Wings White with black in flights. Tail Black. Remainder of plumage Pure white throughout. COLOUR IN THE SPECKLED VARIETY In both Sexes. Beak AVhite or horn colour. Eye Orange or brown. Comb, face, ear- lobes and wattle.rRed. Shanks and feet. .. White. Skin and flesh White and fine. 23 f LiGH J Sussex Cock American Bred Light Sussex Cock, Well Marked and With Long Deep Breast In the Cock. Head and neck hackle Rich reddish brown striped with black and tipped with white. Wing-s Wing- bow red, or nearly so, primaries white, or nearly so. Facldle hackle Similar to neck hackle. Tail White and black. Remainder of plumage Black, white and brown, aJ even speckled as possible. In the Hen Wing-s Wing bow brown, white, and black: flights white. Tail . Black, white and brown. Remainder of plumage Brown, white and black, as evenly speckled as possible. VALUE OF POINTS IN SUSSEX Defects. Deduct up to. Defects in Head and Comb 10 Defects in Colour 20 Want of Type and Flatness of back 20 Want of Condition 10 Defects in Legs and Feet 15 Want of Size 25 A Perfect Bird to Count 100 Serious Defects, for which Birds should be passed: — Other than four toes, wry tail, or any deformity, feather on shanks, rose comb. Pedigree or Line Breeding Careful mating and selection year after year are neces- sary to intensify and fix a desired quality in poultry and the more points or qualities desired the greater care necessary in selection. A little study of the laws of inheritance will be a great help in understanding the mode by which desired qualities may be intensified and undesirable ones eliminated. 25 American Bred Light Sussex Pullet, First Prize Patersoni, N.'. J. Dec. 1910 Like begets like, bad points as well as good, tlierefore to secure permanency and a larger percentage in the flock of any desired point or (piality, have it as well marked as pos- sible in both sire and dam. and to eliminate a fault, never allow it in both i)arents, but if one is weak in one section have the other correspondingly strong to offset it. It is only after many years of breeding that a strain can be produced, for egg laying, superior table (][ualities of meat, type, color, comb or eye, and the only way to flx a quality is by pedigree or line breeding. ]Mendelism teaches us that certain qualities are domin- ant and others necessive. Feathers dominant over silk (as in crossing feathered fowl on silky i. Rose comb over sin- gle comb. Feathered leg over clean leg, etc.. and a quality may be dornumt in some generations to reappear in subsequent ones. It also teaches us that out crossing or the introduc- tion of new blood is very prone to bring out defects of both strains after being bred out from eacli for many genera- tions by means of careful selection. It is apparent then that the introduction of new blood must be practiced with the greatest care and a trial made with a single mating using one of the progeny to breed into the flock. Fortunately by means of line breeding it is not necessary to make an out cross oftener than once in five years. Following the plan of the well-known breeder and judge J. K. Felch, whose pedigree chart has been followed by many breeders for years, three distinct lines are produced from an original pair. One follows the male side, one the 27 Amorican Bred Light Sussex Cockerel, 1911. Seven Months Old When Photographed. Main Tail Feathers Not Grown female, and tlie third possessing the blood of sire and dam in equal proportions without resorting to the mating of brother and sister, a proceeding which would soon result in ruining the flock. When it is desired to produce a large flock in a short time the female line may be represented by a number of hens in- stead of one and then it will be necessary to trap nest. This will settle at once the question of utility and any hen falling below a certain number of eggs per month should be discarded from the breeding pen. Another great help in breeding for points is to set down in numerical order the points you wash to breed for, giving them their due importance, as 1, shape; 2, size; 3, color; 4, head- points, etc. Then in selecting never choose a breeder defi- cient in the first and second, but these points secured select the ones strongest in the remaining qualities. The question of single or double matings should govern a beginner in his choice of the variety he wishes to promote. Double mating is made necessary by the exhibition stan- dard which requires color distribution different from the one established by nature for the two sexes. This complicates the system of breeding, requires many more breeding pens and doubles the number of wasters or birds which by reason of oF color are good for utility only. 29 English Bred Red Sussex Cock, Winner Sussex Breed Cup 1910 t5o Our f^eabersi The Ameiieaii Sussex Poultry Club was organized in July, li)01), for the purpose of advancing tlie breed and receiving for it the national recognition it deserves. Many of our members have ^\(>rked tirelessly in meeting the reiiuirement of the A. P. A. for adoj^tion by that body, but tlie petitions, etc., were smothered in the committee chamber. A lame excuse was offered after the convention tliat ''new varieties" can only be admitted at certain years, but we fail to discover any such jirovision in the constitu- tion and by-laws. The Sussex asked for admission to the Standard after complying with certain forms, but without looking into the matter a certain otiicial rushes to the con- clusion that we were asking a "Revision of the Standard." The assumption is all wiong; when a person makes request to the Board of Directors of a library to admit a certain book to the shelves of such library, it does not carry with it the request to destroy tlte current catalogues and ])ublication of new. When the time comes for tlie new catalogue the new books pi'eviously admitted are added. We feel sure that the A. P. A. will eventually see its error if such ragged business methods arc allowed to cojitiiuie and the American Sussex Poultry Club, having suffered one un- just rebuke. A^ill not off'er itself for another. W. H. BRATT, Secretary. English Bred Red Sussex Hen, 8 lbs. in Weight and of Good Even Color What Variety Shall I Start With This is the question asked by nearly every one wanting fowls for pleasure or profit and should be well considered before placing your order. U. R. Fishel's White Plymouih Rocks are conceded by most every one who has tested all variet- ties to be the egg pro- ducers, the best table fowl and by far the best money makers, while as prize win- ners no breeder or variety has a greater record. In fact, if you want The Most Beautiful and Profiiable fowl, buy U. R. Fishel's White Plymouth Rocks. Send 25 cents for my 64-page Catalog; the most beautiful and elaborate poultry catalogue ever issued. Thousands of Farm Reared Birds to sell at prices that will interest you. Write me. U. R. FISHEL BoxH HOPE, IND. American Bred Red Sussex Cockerel Six Months Old. Modern Type and Rich Deep Red Color Fine Kdlcrstrass Crystal White Orpingons grr The Big Egg Laying Strain ^ Greatest Fowl on Record To-day Send for our Large Free Illustrated Catalogue Kellerstrass Poultry Farm Kansas City, Mo. American Bred Red Sussex Pullet, Ssven Months at Time of Photo, 6 lbs. Weight. Good Modern Type E. K. CONRAD, M. D. W. H. BRATT MEMBERS Conrad & Bratt Hackensack, N. J. Introducers to, and largest breeders in America of the famous SUSSEX FOWL %% % We shall be pleased to furnish prices on Exhibition Stock or Eggs upon request English Bred Red Sussex Pullet Partridge Plymoath Pocks The Wonderful New Fowl NOT ONLY Won the laying contest in 1910 against all others BUT NOW Breed more true to type than any new breed ever did AND ALREADY Reproduce more true to type than many old breeds IN ADDITION TO Winning the name of " Beauty Breed " by the wondrous color. SO THAT They are today the best investment in all poultrydom. IF INTERESTED Send for nice free illustrated booklet to the fountain head S. A. NOFTZGER Originator of the Partridge Plymouth Rock Fowl North Manchester, Indiana W. L. Telford Member English Sussex Poultry Club 63 Gamewell Street ^M^«^^- ") Hackensack, N. J. BREEDER OF 8pccklcd Sussex Eggs from good utility stock $3.00 per setting MITCHELL'S Partridge Cochins Are again tlie leading winners at ^Madison Square Gar- den, New York. December, 1010, and at Boston, Jan- uary. 11)11. At New York in the largest and strongest class of Partridge Cochins ever seen in the ''Giarden," I won 1. -2, 3 cks.. 1. 2, 3 hens, 1, 2, 3 ckls., 1, 2, 3 pits, and 1 pen. At Boston in another remarkable class, I Avon 2. 3. 4 cks., 1, 2, 5 hens, 1, 2, 3 ckls., 1, 2, 3, 4 pits, and 1. 3 pens. I liave a few yearling cocks and hens and a few of the finest of cockerels and pullets for sale at reasonable prices. For the first time in many years eggs from this wonderful strain of Partridge Cochins will be offered as early as April. Robt. F. Clark, 87 Milk Street, BOSTON, MASS. TOMPKINS R. I. REDS Thousands of Young Birds Hundreds of Breeders My young birds are bred from the strongest ma tings ever yarded. They have produced the best birds I ever owned. I iam going to offer you real bargains, not only in young stock, but yearlings also. If you want to win at your coming show, write me. And once more let me impress up- on your mind that NEVER lias my record been equalled or approached by any iiuli vidua i breeder of any variety in the annals of liistory. My record proves then; just what I claim. "Champions of the World." Some time you will want the best — Now is the time to get it. I can sujjply you witli Single or Rose Comb. Lester Tompkins Concord, Massachusetts SLY'S Silver Spangled Hamburgs Cleveland and Chicago WINNERS We have winners for any show or will supply you with high-class breeders EGGS IN SEASON Write for Winnings or Information Correspondence solicited R. D. SLY Lock Box A WEST CLARKSFIELD, O. S LiH HOI America's Most Perfect Strain Exhibition Birds My Specialty Breeding Birds of Rare Quality 28 Years Devoted to the Study of this Grand and Noble Breed CIRCULAR FREE Mention "Sussex Fo\Yr' When Writing Ben S. Myers Crawiordsville Indiana W. K. CONRAD BREEDER OF RED SUSSEX EXCLUSIVELY My stock is line bred for Standard type Eggs from $3.00, in season W. K. CONRAD ^ 115 State Street HACKENSACK, N. J. MEMORANDUM SHOW NOTES MEMORANDUM SHOW NOTES DE(nrn9n One copy del. to Cat. Div. DEC i4 m LlbKHRY OF CONGRESS 002 841 063 3