foulbird Posted January 25, 2012 Share Posted January 25, 2012 Polly has been on her own for over 2 years now so just before xmas I bought a Light Sussex and a Bluebelle to keep her company. Although they are ok free ranging round the garden, Polly won't allow the new girls in to 'her' cube so they're both in the old eglu which is how I know it's not Polly laying the eggs. My question is this - the new girls were both supposed to be 15 weeks old when I got them and I expected both to start laying this month. However, one day I'll get a very large egg, the next a tiny one. I'm not sure if this is the bluebelle (I've read that they can be a bit erratic over size at first) or if both girls are laying on alternate days. My question is about the Light Sussex. She has a very small comb - hardly noticeable. Does this mean that she's younger than the Bluebell or is there something wrong or is this a Light Sussex 'thing'? Is she likely to be laying? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Duncan08 Posted January 25, 2012 Share Posted January 25, 2012 As far as I am aware your light sussex should have a medium comb, (google light sussex and you will find lots of pictures). So if it is fairly non existent she is probably still quite young and not yet laying. Our Bluebell came into lay quite erratically, started off with small eggs which grew, and wasn't always regular with a few larger ones. I don't know what colour eggs a Light Sussex creates, (try google again ) but our Bluebells are a pale egg with a very slight pinky tinge to them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SMS6 Posted January 25, 2012 Share Posted January 25, 2012 my Light Sussex layed nearly white eggs last year, took a break for winter and now her eggs are more a cream colour her's is the lightest one of these four Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ain't Nobody Here Posted January 25, 2012 Share Posted January 25, 2012 I would say it's unlikely that one hen is laying large then small eggs on subsequent days. They tend to start small then get larger gradually. I have 2 brand new girls - both are laying (only started 3 or 4 days ago) but only one has a decent sized comb. I don't know much about Light Sussex specifically but a smaller comb would suggest to me that she's younger. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LunaKiw1 Posted January 25, 2012 Share Posted January 25, 2012 Don't know if this is relevant but we had a light sussex hybrid and she only ever had a very samll comb but was a prolific layer of heavy eggs! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sparkysmum Posted January 25, 2012 Share Posted January 25, 2012 We've had our light sussex Cheeky, since she was one day old. Our pekin brought her up She has a lovely, bright red, good sized comb............but not a single egg so far. Grrrrrrrrr Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
poppers77 Posted January 25, 2012 Share Posted January 25, 2012 We have 3 light sussex & they all started laying a month apart. They are now 2 yrs & had their 1st moult & in an exact order started laying a month a part. They all have bright red sombs when laying- when they are not (moult) they dissapeared to virtually nothing & were very pale. Now they have 3 beacon like combs. I find it avery good indication of lay. Their eggs are much darker this year. Not sure if this helps? Happy to post some more pictures if that helps? Best Wishes, Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
foulbird Posted January 26, 2012 Author Share Posted January 26, 2012 Thanks everyone! This is all very useful and shows how different chickens are. I did google Light Sussex but couldn't find any of mature hens, only young ones. The eggs I'm getting are all pale brown with the pinkish tone to them which sounds more like the Bluebelle doesn't it?. I checked Sally (Light Sussex) this morning and she has a bit more comb - must have grown overnight - so it looks as if she is younger rather than some sort of problem with her which is what I feared. Thanks for the egg photo, SMS6. I can see I have fun egg times ahead! I've only ever had ex-batts (will be getting some more once I can persuade Polly to let the other two share the cube with her) and the Omlet Gingernut Ranger and Miss Pepperpot, their eggs were all pretty similar. Photos to follow later Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tracyann Posted January 28, 2012 Share Posted January 28, 2012 Ok, some tip top information about light sussex.... According to someone I spoke to the other week (a well known light sussex guru), they are always the last hens to start laying. A bluebelle is a hybrid and will start laying well before the light sussex. So don't worry, watch for the combs to turn bright red and grow and the wattles to grow and then she will start laying, a tinted cream egg. She will start to lay, I promise, just be patient with her. I got three wheaten marans and two welsummers in the summer (middle of July) and they were about 10 weeks old, they only came into lay between Christmas and New Year. Sometimes it just takes a little bit longer. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lindafw Posted January 28, 2012 Share Posted January 28, 2012 Your light sussex is a pure bred so won't start laying until the light levels are right for her. Your bluebell is a hybrid and like mine (bought October)and the other 2 hybrids bought with her will have started laying... I have a light sussex ranger who looks like a light sussex but is a hybrid so she is laying already...ALL my purebred girls are on strike Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cavysqueak Posted January 28, 2012 Share Posted January 28, 2012 Just to add another voice to the egg colour debate. Our 2yr old Bluebelle lays quite small (65g ish) pale brown / pinkish tinge eggs which have a very, very smooth shell to them. Our light sussex lays large (75g ish) very pale, almost white eggs. She'll get there! Have fun. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Barkisland Posted January 28, 2012 Share Posted January 28, 2012 My Light Sussex is perpetually broody and lays the least eggs of all my girls. She's broody now, and her comb has gone very pale and shrunk so much it's almost disappeared. Even if I break her broody spell in a cage she turns broody again almost immediately. I'll never have another. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mum Posted January 28, 2012 Share Posted January 28, 2012 My Light Sussex is perpetually broody and lays the least eggs of all my girls. She's broody now, and her comb has gone very pale and shrunk so much it's almost disappeared. Even if I break her broody spell in a cage she turns broody again almost immediately. I'll never have another. It's all in the name: "Mary, Mary, quite contrary!" I named mine, Agnus - she is looking redder by the day and showing a lot of interest in the hens (3 now!) who have utilised the nest box. Shame my dh thinks her name is Angus Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Barkisland Posted January 29, 2012 Share Posted January 29, 2012 Aaah! my favourite little ex batty's called Agnes, she's lame and has to hop everywhere, but happy as a sandboy and still lays every day! Contrary Mary is named after my paternal Granny, as obstinate as the day is long, just like her namesake! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
foulbird Posted February 1, 2012 Author Share Posted February 1, 2012 I found two very small white eggs - one in the flower bed and one in the nesting box - which I thought might be from Sally the Light Sussex but nothing like that since. Bluebell continues to lay the large pinkish brown ones and they've all, bar one, been double yolkers. All three hens are now together in the cube which makes life easier in so many ways. Bluebelle goes up to the nesting box, then she comes out, asks the other two a question which they answer then she goes back in to the nesting box. This is repeated over a period of 20 minutes or so until she finally disappears for a few minutes. After that, I check the box and there's usually a lovely warm egg! Biggest so far has been 71g They really are funny people aren't they? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
