Background: These heavier hens are bred to be a hardy dual purpose bird and a consistent layer.



Personality: The Black Sussex is a friendly and easy to handle breed which enjoys foraging and mixes well within a flock. These hens are happiest when free range but are also comfortable in smaller spaces, adapting well to their surroundings.



Appearance: The Black Sussex’s markings are almost the reverse of the Light Sussex varying from bird to bird. Some are almost all  black and others have a black body and beautiful silver laced feathers on the neck and chest.



Eggs: The Black Sussex is a very productive bird, rewarding her keeper with 260 to 280 large brown eggs in her first year of laying.