The colours found in Sussex chickens are brown buff, light red, speckled, silver and white. The Sussex chicken whatever its colour should be graceful. The eyes are red in the darker varieties but are orange in the lighter ones. They have a medium sized single comb. The earlobes are red and the legs and skin are white in every variety. The brown and red varieties are rare now with the other colours being quite common.

The Rhode Island is a Red bird. The plumage is a dark rich glossy red in the male, being slightly less glossy in the female. The male should only have black in his wings and tail and the female the same but can have black on her neck. The body is broad and deep and oblong in its shape. It has a broad flat back with a medium sized tail. The earlobes are red in colour as are the eyes. They have yellow legs

Pure Breed Welsummer

The Welsummer is named after the village of Welsum in Holland although the breed was originally developed in the area along the river Ysel to the north of Deventer, Holland at about the same time as the Barnevelders (1900-1913). The Dutch bred it from the partridge Cochin, partridge Wyandotte and partridge Leghorn, the Barnevelder and Rhode Island Red. It was first imported into this country in 1928 for its large brown egg. The Welsummer is a large, upright, active bird with a broad back, full breast and large full tail. They head has a single comb, medium wattles, almond shaped ear lobes and a strong, short beak. They have yellow legs which fade to pale yellow in summer and reddish bay eyes.

Welsummers lay lovely large eggs and the dark brown pigment can actually be rubbed off as it is added at the end of the egg laying sequence. They do go broody but not usually until late Spring but are not particularly good mothers. Chicks are strong and are easily sexed as females have much darker head and back markings than males. They lay fewer eggs during the winter. They are friendly, easily handled birds which love to free range and forage for food but can also be kept in runs quite happily. They are productive for 3 years of their 9 year lifespan.

Pure Breed Barred Plymouth Rock

The Plymouth Rock is considered to be a heavy breed and originated in the United States taking their name from the town of Plymouth. The breed was recognised as early as 1874 under the name Barred Plymouth Rock which describes the markings they had. They are large, long lived chickens and the hens have a deep, full abdomen which is a sign of a good layer. They have a broad, deep and well-rounded breast and bright yellow legs. The face is red with red ear lobes, a bright yellow beak, bay coloured eyes and a single medium sized comb.

They are friendly birds which are easy to tame and are vigorous and hardy birds which don\'t need a lot of space but do appreciate the chance to run free, They are not good fliers so do not require high fencing. They lay a good number of cream coloured eggs averaging around 200 per year. Plymouth Rocks do tend towards broodiness though so regular egg collecting is important to avoid too much of this. Chicks feather up quickly and make wonderful pets for children due to their docile nature.

Pure Breed Ancona

The Ancona originates from the Italian province of Ancona and was bred from a mixture of breeds including the Leghorn. Their black feathering led to them being called Black Leghorns. They are tough, hardy birds and are prolific layers, producing a large number of white eggs. They were very popular as egg producing birds in Europe and arrived in England in 1888 and slightly later in America. The breed can be seen in two different varieties the single combed and less common rose combed forms. They have white earlobes and bay coloured eyes and in the single combed variety, the large comb flops backwards. The feathers are beetle green-black, tipped with white and they have yellow featherless legs and feet with some black mottling down the shanks. They have four long, well spread toes.

Anconas are small attractive birds which are not prone to broodiness. In fact, they are non-sitters and will produce a large number of medium size white eggs. Chicks are vigorous and mature quickly. They are alert, busy little birds and are happiest foraging in the open air. They are not happy kept in confined spaces and they also fly well so high fencing is necessary. With good care and kind treatment, they can become quite trusting and may become tame if handled from a young age. With every moult, the white spots on their plumage become bigger so the older the bird, the whiter the feathering. They are very hardy and a cock will weigh in at around 6lbs while a hen weighs approximately 4½lbs. They have an average lifespan of around 8 years.

Pure Breed Silver Laced Wyandotte

Wyandottes originate from the United States and no one really knows which breeds were used to create the Wyandotte breed. They were first reported in the 1860s and the first variety was the silver laced variant. They are large chickens with a particularly rounded appearance. They have broad bodies and are full feathered. The hens have a deep breast and backside which shows that they are good layers. The Wyandotte has yellow legs with a round, short head, rose comb, bright red ear lobes and reddish bay eyes. They are a good dual purpose breed.

Wyandottes are docile birds and the hens are excellent broodies and make good mothers. They lay well and chicks tend to be strong and are quick growers. Their attractive \"curvy\" shape, generally good disposition and many attractive colour patterns (varieties) make them a good choice for fanciers as well as farmers

Pure Breed Araucana

Araucana chickens originate from South America and are named after the Arauca Indians of Chile. They were introduced to Europe in the early 1900s although they have been heard of since the mid-sixteenth century. They originally had large floppy pea combs but these have been bred so that they now only have a very small irregularly shaped pea comb. They do not have wattles and the facial feathers are thick with a small crest on the head. The blue green egg is coloured throughout the shell so the inside is as blue as the outside but the hens only really lay during the spring and summer months. Blue and green eggs are most common although colour can range from a greyish or violet blue to a turquoise or greenish blue. Khaki and olive can suggest that the hens have been crossed with other breeds. The breed can be born with or without a tail, those without are known as Rumpless Araucanas. They are short, rounded birds with an upright stance and a broad skull. They have an unusual wart-like feature on either side of their heads called plicae where the earlobes are usually seen. These have feathers on them which make up ear tufts which slat backwards.
Araucana chicks are strong, fast growers and mature quickly. They do tend towards broodiness and make excellent mothers. They do not mind being kept in a pen but like fresh grass so the coop or ark will need moving on regularly. They are placid birds and are vigorous and hardy. The blue green eggs are reportedly lower in cholesterol than other eggs which make them healthier although there is no specific evidence to back this up