A wonderful breed for a small farm or homestead, and suitable breed for beginners. Sussex are curious and like people, and are a good choice for a family with children who might enjoy being involved in 4-H. Speckled Sussex originated in England in AD 43, making them one of the oldest known breeds. The hens are good layers of between 200-250 large peachy cream eggs/yr and do lay in winter! (yipee!); they lay best if not allowed to get overly fat.  Sussex do well in confinement if they have an area to roam and appreciate the ability to free-range for periods. They are not prone to flying, but if they are confined to a run, it is best to have leaf piles, stumps, perches, and other things to explore to relieve boredom. Sussex are not fond of the heat so will need plenty of shade in the summer.   They are very sweet and tend to be on the bottom of the heirarchy, so you might need to monitor them to make sure they are not bullied if there are other more assertive breeds in the flock. They can be broody and are good mothers.