Sussex
This very old, merry olde English breed originated in the counties of Sussex, Kent and Surrey in the mid-1800s. The breed reached the U.S. around 1912, and the American Poultry Association recognized Speckled and Red varieties in its 1914 Standard of Perfection. In 1929, a Light variety with a white body and black tail and wing tips was added.
The Sussex is an all-around excellent small-farm chicken. It bears confinement well but is also a superior forager and ideal for free-range conditions. Hens go broody and make excellent mother hens.