The Speckled Sussex is an old English breed of chicken. Known for its eye-catching coloring of white spots on a dark mahogany background, it is a great choice for those who are concerned with keeping their free range flock safe from predators–Speckled Sussex are naturally camouflaged in many settings.
Despite being a heavy breed, Sussex are prolific layers of large, brown eggs. One unusual feature of the Speckled Sussex is its very pale, pinkish-white skin, which is most noticeable on its legs. Their exceptionally pale skin makes them popular as meat chickens.
All Sussex will have slightly different patterns of spots and will gain more white spots with every molt, making them increasingly colorful as they age. The slight variations in coloring also make them fun chickens to have around if you enjoy telling your chickens apart!
As far as temperament goes, Speckled Sussex are friendly to the point of pushiness. They are very forward and tame chickens who are often the first to steal treats, follow humans, or make a general nuisance of themselves!
They seem to have no fear and, while this can be a fantastic quality for someone looking for friendly chickens, it means they may not be a great choice for a mixed flock that contains overly passive breeds.
I have never noticed my Sussex behaving in an aggressive way, but they do easily “push around” the more timid chickens.
Overall, the Speckled Sussex is a lesser known but unique and endearing breed of chicken.